MMA fans voiced their opinions after witnessing Dustin Poirier’s return to the gym to sharpen his weapons for his next fight. Poirier also announced that he would reveal further details about the same soon.
‘The Diamond’ last fought against Islam Makhachev at UFC 302 for the UFC lightweight strap. He put up an impressive effort but got choked out in the fifth round.
Dustin Poirier Sharpens His Skills for UFC Return
Dustin Poirier is a seasoned warrior, and his UFC career is in its fifteenth year. He holds a 30-9 pro-MMA record after several enthralling showdowns against some of the most renowned UFC lightweights.
His former rivals include Conor McGregor, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Justin Gaethje, Charles Oliveira, and others. However, Poirier is currently in the twilight of his career, and his upcoming fight could be his last dance inside the Octagon.
A recent video shared on Instagram showcased that Poirier has already started to prepare for it. The clip exhibited a few moments from his striking and conditioning improvement sessions with Dyah Davis, MMA boxing coach at American Top Team.
Dustin Poirier is back in the gym 👀🥊
🎥 @DustinPoirier #UFC #MMA pic.twitter.com/D9E9R4KS96
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) April 17, 2025
Fans applauded the visuals from Poirier’s recent training sessions in various ways. One hailed the intensity of the session, stating, “‘The Diamond’ is making a statement for the retirement fight.”
The diamond making a statement for retirement fight🔥
— Candkmma (@candkmma) April 17, 2025
Another said, “Kid still looks sharp.”
kid still looks sharp
— BAUTISTA MAFIA (@swag420breh) April 17, 2025
Some more fans played matchmakers for Poirier’s next fight. A few such comments read:
“He and Max, BMF, Louisiana, August?”
“Dustin vs. Ilia [Topuria], book it.”
Check out more reactions below:
Dustin Poirier Reveals Timeline for Next Fight
During the buildup to UFC 302, Poirier announced that he would retire from the sport if he won the UFC Lightweight Championship over Makhachev. However, the fight ended in defeat, which caused him to postpone his retirement until the end of another in-cage encounter.
In a recent interview with MMA Junkie, he provided further clarity about the same.
An X update from @RedCornerMMA displayed a section of Poirier’s interview where he spoke about announcing his next fight. The Lafayette native mentioned that he will disclose the details about his upcoming encounter within the next two weeks. Poirier said:
“In the next, I think, two weeks you’ll know. I think, two weeks.”
🚨Dustin Poirier says the UFC will announce his next fight within two weeks.
🎥 @MMAJunkie pic.twitter.com/99DaVkzv6O— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) April 15, 2025
The UFC or Dana White has made no official announcement yet on the fight. Poirier has made it clear that he wants to face a legend on his way out. According to fellow lightweight Beneil Dariush, the man is Max Holloway.
Dariush told Submission Radio in March that he heard rumors of the UFC booking Poirier vs. Holloway for the BMF Belt as a grand sendoff to ‘The Diamond.’ Holloway won the BMF belt by knocking Gaethje out in a buzzer-beating finish at UFC 300. The strap originally belonged to Jorge Masvidal.