Dustin Poirier responds to Justin Gaethje's call for trilogy as he sets up retirement fight following latest title loss
13/09/2024 21:53
Dustin Poirier has hit back at Justin Gaethje after being called out for a trilogy fight by his long-time rival.
The former lightweight interim champions have each knocked the other out during their careers, and are now heading into their final fights. Poirier just lost his third effort at undisputed gold, while Gaethje has been defeated in his two shots.
And with Gaethje now eyeing up a return to action following his BMF title loss to Max Holloway at UFC 300, he has named Poirier on his hitlist. Fans are keen to see the pair face off once again, but the Louisana native has promised to hang up his gloves after one more.
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Justin Gaethje names Dustin Poirier on hitlist for comeback fight
After taking a lengthy break from even training after his latest defeat, Justin Gaethje is now beginning the process of making a return to the octagon. He has named a four-man list of potential opponents for that eventual bout, with a number of intriguing matchups potentially on the horizon.
“I have a list,” Gaethje told media in Las Vegas yesterday. “I think Dan Hooker, (Charles) Oliveira, (Dustin) Poirier, and (Alexander) Volkanovski is a list of four people that I think any of those would do for me what I need to do to get back in the (title) picture.”
He still harbours ambitions of fighting Islam Makhachev for the undisputed gold, and he may get his wish in a division that is moving slowly. The champion is currently nursing an injury before defending his belt against Arman Tsarukyan, and should Gaethje win his next outing an opportunity could be waiting.
“I'm not out of it right now,” Gaethje said of the current world title picture. He is still ranked number three in the division, and is very much considered at the world level in the sport. “I'm not out of it tomorrow. This sport is so crazy, like I said Poirier lost to me and then got to fight for the belt.
"I do not believe I have reached that point (of not being able to win undisputed gold), whether I'm the champion or not, who knows, it's so hard to put a time if I ever go to sleep like I just did (against Holloway), I'm done.”
Dustin Poirier hits back at Justin Gaethje’s callout
Following his being named on the Gaethje hitlist, Dustin Poirier took to social media to let fans know that he was interested in the fight. The pair initially fought in April of 2018, when Poirier won by knockout before a BMF title rematch last year that ended the opposite way.
Poirier quote tweeted a clip of Gaethje naming his list of potential opponents, telling his fans “You know I’m down.” When a fan replied by saying that he has ‘uno mas’, the former interim champion replied “exactly”.
He then retweeted a number of supportive comments around the fight, with one fan writing: “They seem to have a great relationship, but Dustin Poirier vs Justin Gaethje trilogy in New Orleans just seems right.”
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