Seeing a lot of talk about Floyd Mayweather & Conor McGregor today. Not even 24-hours after UFC 257 the attention can’t already be off of Dustin Poirier. Overlooked and unappreciated in the lead up, it’s his time in the spotlight. Reminder, he was the winner of the main event, by knockout. The guy who will be going to fight for the vacant UFC lightweight championship is “The Diamond”.
Dusting Poirier is the one who lost the first fight and learned from it. He moved up from featherweight to lightweight and he’s 11-2 in the division. Sharpened his striking, dedicated himself to improving his wrestling. It was the Louisiana native that came in with a different game plan from the first encounter.
McGregor, like the first fight, was able to connect early but this time Poirier regrouped. Made the adjustment hammering home 18 landed leg kicks. Getting his back off the fence. Trapping Conor on the cage and then Dustin found the opportunity to unload, knocking down and stopping Conor in the second round to even them up.
But is it really even? The first fight was over six years ago. The bout was in the middle of the UFC 178 pay per view, both fighters still prospects. This time the headliners, both now fathers and businessmen, with main events under their belts, and knowing what UFC title fights & championships are like. The outcome of the second fight assures is this rivalry will be a trilogy.
And again the story of part two is all about the growth, evolution, and the performance from Dustin Poirier. By now it’s clear that Khabib Nurmagomedov is in fact retiring from MMA. There are plenty of storylines we could focus on. Who will Poirier be fighting for the vacant UFC lightweight title? Or that Poirier just scored his 13th career knockout and sixth as a lightweight. Or that Poirier just added a win over a fifth former UFC champion to his resume. Not to mention all incredible work he’s done through the Good Fight Foundation he runs.
The names I mentioned at the top grab the headlines a lot, but UFC 257 has to be remembered and talked about for how “The Diamond” shined.
