Dustin Poirier’s title bout at UFC 302 ‘may very well be’ his final struggle: ‘That is my shot, I received’t get one other one’

Dustin Poirier is on the back-nine of his splendid UFC profession. In truth, he could also be headed to the clubhouse very quickly.

The 35-year-old would be the challenger for Islam Makhachev’s UFC Light-weight Championship on June 1 at UFC 302 at Prudential Heart in Newark, New Jersey.

It’s Poirier’s third time preventing for an undisputed title. He misplaced every of the earlier two.

Poirier misplaced to Charles Oliveira at UFC 269 by submission on Dec. 11, 2021 in Las Vegas, simply over two years after Khabib Nurmagomedov received UFC 242 in the identical style.

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The Lafayette, Louisiana, native is aware of that that is his remaining probability to lastly win a belt.

“I do know that is my shot, I received’t get one other one,” Porier mentioned in a latest interview with Fox Information Digital.

On the time, Porier mentioned he would “in all probability retire proper there” if he received a possible championship struggle towards Makhachev. He was not sure what would occur with a loss, and he nonetheless is.

“I wish to retire from the game – I do not need the game to retire me,” Poirier mentioned to us on the time.

Nevertheless, this shall be his fortieth skilled struggle, and he admits it “may very well be” his remaining struggle, win or lose.

“I gotta see how I really feel in there,” he says.

Effectively, to this point, with about three weeks till struggle evening, he says he is “proper the place I have to be.”

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“We’re type of simply getting over the hump of the loopy, loopy onerous work and the damaging stuff. Now it begins to get extra smoother, begin specializing in weight, ensuring I’m feeling good main into struggle week, firing on all cylinders, lots of reps, lots of method coaching,” Poirier mentioned.

Poirier was an underdog in his struggle at UFC 299 towards Benoit Saint-Denis, however he got here away with an enormous victory. It very possible prolonged his profession, as he had misplaced two of his earlier three bouts.

That offered a little bit of a confidence increase, nevertheless it doesn’t sound like Poirier wanted a lot of 1.

“I’m grateful, man. I attempt to keep in that mindset no matter what struggle’s arising and stuff like that. Rising up, my mindset’s modified through the years. I get up with gratitude day by day, however having this large struggle on the horizon, it provides extra gas to the hearth. I get up motivated. I’ve been preventing for a very long time.”

“I’m 35 years previous, that is my third UFC undisputed world title shot. Like I mentioned, man, gratitude. I’m simply grateful to be within the place I’m in and to grind it out and persevere all these years to climb my approach again up time and again by these younger killers on this younger division. To make it to the highest of the mountain and have an opportunity to boost my palms within the air and be the undisputed world champion, one of the best on this planet, that’s all I’m centered on, man, simply being my finest at evening.”

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He added, “I do know I can beat anyone on this planet. I do know this man I’m dealing with is pound-for-pound the primary man. He’s on a tear, powerful stylistic matchup for me… However I feel my complete profession has ready me for this evening. Every part occurred the best way it’s presupposed to occur for me to get in there and struggle for the world title June 1.” 

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