Written by Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Dustin Poirier is set to call it a career on Saturday night at UFC 318 with his final fight booked against Max Holloway in the main event.
When he officially retires, Poirier leaves the sport with a remarkable amount of accolades, including 10 Fight of the Night bonuses, with wins over four former UFC champions and he’s tied with Drew Dober for the most knockouts in UFC lightweight history. He was also an interim lightweight champion but Poirier was never able to capture the undisputed belt, coming up short in both of his attempts against Khabib Nurmagomedov and Islam Makhachev.
While losing those title fights doesn’t negate all the other amazing accomplishments on his resume, UFC veteran Matt Brown argues that’s what keeps Poirier from being considered one of the best ever.
“Unfortunately he didn’t win an [undisputed] title,” Brown said on the latest episode of The Fighter vs. The Writer. “When you don’t win a title, you just can’t be in a greatest of all-time conversation … he’s in the top of those conversations. Because he maximized what he had. Had he had just a little bit more athleticism, a little bit more good luck on his side, it’s a little bit of something, he would have been champion 100 percent. But it just doesn’t play out that way for everyone. There’s too many fighters and some guys get passed up.”
There’s little doubt that Poirier is going to eventually find himself receiving an invitation to join the UFC Hall of Fame, which is just another box he’ll check when it comes to his legendary career.
But not claiming an undisputed title prevents Poirier from being listed as a potential GOAT, especially in his chosen division at lightweight where fighters like Nurmagomedov, Makhachev and B.J. Penn are typically regarded as the gold standard.
Brown understands that level of frustration because he lived it himself where he set some records including the most knockouts in UFC welterweight history but he never got the chance to touch UFC gold.
“I’d love to see him up there but we all have our journeys,” Brown said. “There’s thousands and thousands of fighters out there — they can’t all be No. 1. A lot of them are really good people but they can’t all be No., 1. That’s definitely the hold back for Dustin unfortunately.
“It’s not tearing him down, it’s just the objective truth. I mean I know the way I’m going to remember him is not necessarily as one of the greatest, definitely great. Not one of the greatest. In terms of warriors and warrior mentality, I think he is absolutely one of the greatest of all-time in that. He’s probably got to be in the top five when you talk about guys willing to fight through anything and keep coming back. I think that’s a lot of what I’m known for, and I put him above me in that regard. I think he’s one of the top five maybe in history of just warriors.”
Where Poirier truly excelled was with his heart, determination and toughness that kept him ranked as one of the best lightweights in the world for the better part of the past decade. He also had an impressive run at featherweight between the UFC and WEC, which is just another of his accomplishments.
Brown believes that’s what stands out most about Poirier and puts him head and shoulders above many of the other athletes from his same era.
“He’s a warrior,” Brown said. “I don’t remember him really having many fights he just dominated. It was always a knockdown, drag out war and he just fought through it better than the other guy. I don’t put him up as a top five skilled guy or athleticism, we’re all born with what we’re born with unfortunately, but in terms of hard working, hard-nosed, gritty, bite down on your mouthpiece, walk forward, fight to the death guys, I mean Dustin Poirier is top three.”
The same goes for Poirier’s place among the best fighters to never win an undisputed championship. It might seem like a dubious honor but Brown knows personally that there are a lot of legends on that list.
“I think he’s definitely on the top of that list for sure,” Brown said. “I put myself on that list somewhere, I like to toot my own horn but Dustin’s above me on that. I would agree on that. We’d have to think about that. Write down some names and compare resumes but he absolutely has to be at the top of the list.
“I’d also put him at the top of the list of just greatest warriors in the UFC. The whole ‘BMF’ belt, which is the stupidest thing ever, but if there’s one deserving guy of that, it’s Dustin Poirier. Just toughest guys, grittiest, hardest-working guys — Dustin Poirier’s in the top three of a lot of these conversations.”
More than anything, Brown hopes that Poirier moves onto the next phase of his life knowing he gave everything he had to the sport and he’ll always be remembered as one of the biggest fan favorites in history.
“I think Dustin really maximized everything he has, that he was born with,” Brown said. “I think he did a great job. When he came into the UFC, I remember after Conor [McGregor] beat him, I don’t think anybody thought Dustin Poirier was going to be shit. At that point, I remember interviews asking me what do you think about Conor McGregor? He really hasn’t fought anybody. We didn’t know what Dustin Poirier would be at that time, but I don’t think anybody looked at him like ‘wow this is the next big guy.’
“He didn’t come in with insane gifts or anything. I love and respect that so much. I hope he has an amazing life after. I hope that his life treats him well. Maybe he gets some books, speaking tours, makes a lot of money and lives a great life, and I think he’s earned every f*cking minute of it.”