At the main event of UFC 291, Justin Gaethje knocked out Dustin Poirier with a head kick. This was the second time the two fighters had met in the octagon, with their last encounter ending in favor of the Louisiana native. But this time, ‘Highlight’ managed to get his revenge, winning the BMF title in the process.

With this, Gaethje has become the second BMF champion in the history of the UFC. This is also the second belt the lightweight has managed to clinch in his UFC stint, giving a much-needed boost to his career. However, for every victory in the UFC, there is an upset. For this match, the upset was for Dustin Poirier.

Dustin Poirier emotional at UFC 291 press conference

Following his defeat at UFC 291, Dustin Poirier shared an emotional moment at the post-fight press conference. Generally, it’s rare for a losing fighter to give an interview, especially after a knockout. But apparently, it wasn’t the case this time. During his time there, Poirier expressed how badly he wanted to win the BMF title, asserting that winning the belt would have been great for his legacy.

Later, the fighter also expressed his thoughts on his future goals. According to “The Diamond,” he will not continue fighting just for the sake of it. Fighting back tears, Poirier said, “It’s just… we’ll see. I don’t know what I am fighting for. I’m not fighting just to fight. I did that my whole life. My whole life, I’ve done that. I don’t want to fight, just to fight.”

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This is not the first time that Poirier has experienced an upset in a title fight. He came up short against both Charles Oliveira and Khabib Nurmagomedov for the UFC’s lightweight title. The fact that this was the third time the fighter had to taste defeat in a legacy-defining fight makes the occasion even more heartbreaking. Nevertheless, it would be interesting to see what’s next for him.

Poirier not the only lightweight heartbreak at UFC 291

At UFC 291, Dustin Poirier wasn’t the only person who had a disappointing night. His fellow lightweight and former interim champion, Tony Ferguson, also found himself in a similar position. ‘El Cucuy’ had his sixth straight loss after the 39-year-old succumbed to Bobby Green’s arm-triangle choke.

Once considered the boogeyman of his division, Ferguson has not seen a single win since UFC 238. In fact, the fighter has been finished in his last three fights. Considering this and Ferguson’s age, a comeback looks tough. Regardless, it’s heartbreaking for fans to see someone as dominant as him in such a condition.

With two icons of the old guard at 155 lbs suffering shock finishes, what are your thoughts on their future? Let us know in the comments below.

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