Dustin Poirier considers ending UFC retirement to fight Nate Diaz
Former interim lightweight champion Dustin Poirier has revealed he is willing to come out of retirement for a UFC fight against long-time rival Nate Diaz.
The 37-year-old American stepped away from mixed martial arts last year following a decorated career that recently included challenging for the ‘BMF’ title.
However, the Louisiana native has recently intensified his training regime and admits a return to the octagon remains a distinct possibility.
Any potential comeback hinges entirely on securing a bout with the Stockton brawler to settle a rivalry dating back several years.
A rivalry reignited
The pair were originally scheduled to meet at UFC 230 in New York back in 2018.
That highly anticipated Madison Square Garden clash collapsed, with the ‘Diamond’ ultimately withdrawing to undergo necessary hip surgery.
Speaking on the Deep Waters podcast, the veteran fighter explained his motivation to finally make the matchup happen.
“I still want to whip Nate’s a**,” Poirier said.
“I’ll come back to fight him because our fight got away, and he lied, and the fans ran on his side.”
Clearing up the past
The former champion used the opportunity to clarify the circumstances surrounding their cancelled 2018 bout.
He claims the promotion offered him alternative opponents, including Kevin Lee, after negotiations with Diaz unexpectedly stalled.
“I said, ‘Listen, if it’s not Nate, I’m not fighting, I’m going to go have my hip taken care of,’” he explained.
“But then Nate used that, and I was the fall guy, like the fight’s off because I pulled out, but I never pulled out, I just never wanted to fight anybody else but Nate.”
Diaz’s post-UFC ventures
While Poirier contemplates his next move, his 41-year-old rival remains active across various combat sports.
The Californian departed the UFC in 2022 after securing a submission victory over Tony Ferguson at UFC 279.
He subsequently transitioned to professional boxing, suffering a debut defeat to Jake Paul before rebounding with a decision win against former octagon foe Jorge Masvidal.
A return to mixed martial arts has been mooted for Diaz, potentially paving the way for this long-awaited grudge match to materialise.