Dustin Poirier still has the fight on his mind.
‘The Diamond’ retired in July of this year after a trilogy bout with longtime rival Max Holloway at UFC 318 in his home state of Louisiana. The culmination of a 41-fight career for Poirier, who became one of the most beloved fighters in MMA history and briefly became interim lightweight champion.
At the time, Poirier seemed happy with his decision, but on Saturday night he tweeted that his love for the game is as strong as ever.
“Every day is an eye-opening moment,” Poirier wrote in response to a commenter who asked if he missed fighting. “I have dedicated my life to this work for 20 years.
“A part of me died.”
Poirier, 36, fought his first professional fight in 2009 and compiled a 7-0 record before joining the WEC and then the UFC, where he quickly rose through the featherweight ranks. Although he never fought for a title in that division, he had several notable wins, including a first-round submission of future rival Max Holloway, before turning his attention to lightweight.
It was at 155 pounds that Poirier established his true legacy. He went 9-1 (1 NC) since 2015, defeating Holloway again at UFC 236 to win the interim belt, before losing to Khabib Nurmagomedov in a title unification bout at UFC 242. Poirier went on to collect Fight of the Night and Performance of the Night bonuses, as well as scoring two high-profile wins over Conor McGregor.
Poirier also responded to several messages from fans yesterday, saying how much he missed walking to the Octagon.