“Don’t plan on starting” – Dustin Poirier intends to keep THIS RECORD intact against Michael Chandler at UFC 281
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Dustin Poirier (L) and Michael Chandler (R)
Dustin Poirier is a common fixture in the top echelons of the lightweight division – a division that he has made his home for the last five years or so. He returns to action after almost a year out, against Michael Chandler, next week, at UFC 281.
Last year, going into his fight against Charles Oliveira, Dustin Poirier opened as a heavy +140 favourite to get the job done and become the lightweight king of the world. That, however, was not to be as Charles Oliveira latched onto his back and choked him out in the third round.
Now, Poirier aims to return to lightweight contention by pulling off a win over juggernaut Michael Chandler. Speaking about it, he said, “You know, lightweight has been top heavy for a while. We have a new champion now that opens things up, new matchups, new opportunities.”
He also spoke about a record that he would like to maintain in the UFC – “I’ve never lost two fights in a row, and I don’t plan on starting now.”
A win over Michael Chandler can put Dustin Poirier back in title contention
Dustin Poirier has fought for the title twice, and come up short both times. That, however, is not a measure of his talent whatsoever. The American is known as one of the hardest workers on the rosters – as a result, he has hardly spent time fighting outside the top five in the last five years.
Speaking about the adjustments he has made to overcome the challenge in the form of Michael Chandler, he said, “And I’ve had plenty of time after this last fight in December to work on things to try to get better, to focus, and it’s more about proving it to myself. I want to go out there and show growth, show new wrinkles and tighten up things that I thought I was doing sloppy.”
Winning the match-up is important for both Poirier and Chandler. Speaking of the latter first – Chandler’s future in the promotion hangs in the balance as his record in the UFC stands at 2-2 after two years. Poirier, on the other hand, has a slightly more secure future. A win over Chandler puts him right back into contention.
Islam Makhachev and Alexander Volkanovski are likely to face each other in Perth in a few months. The winner of the two will probably fight Beneil Dariush. Meanwhile, if Poirier defeats Chandler, he could come up against someone he’s already fought – that is, Justin Gaethje. And, if he manages to beat Gaethje, he could find his way to the title shot within 24 months of his last title shot.
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Udayan Mukherjee
(382 Articles Published)