Dustin Poirier’s retirement at UFC 318 marked the end of a legendary 14-year run in the sport. ‘The Diamond,’ known for his grit, fights inside the Octagon, and with significant victories against names like Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler, he retired as one of MMA’s most beloved competitors. But in the aftermath of his farewell, a long-running dispute has resurfaced online. And this time, Poirier fans are blaming UFC CEO Dana White.
The dispute revolves around UFC 257 in January 2021, when Dustin Poirier defeated Conor McGregor in a high-stakes rematch. Khabib Nurmagomedov had already vacated his retirement in October 2020, following his win over Justin Gaethje. However, the UFC did not recognize it until March 2021.
As a result of the delay, Poirier’s victory over McGregor was framed as a contender contest rather than a championship one. For fans of ‘The Diamond,’ this wasn’t just bad timing; it was a deliberate move that prevented Poirier from becoming the undisputed lightweight champion.
A viral Instagram post summed up the sentiment: “Khabib retired in Oct 2020. UFC wouldn’t recognize it until March 2021. Dustin Poirier should have been undisputed champion when he beat McGregor. Dana’s hypocrisy stole a title from him.”
Fighters such as Israel Adesanya voiced their support at the time, referring to Dustin Poirier as the actual lightweight king who has cleared the division except for Nurmagomedov. Now that his career is officially over, Poirier’s legacy lives on, but with a notable asterisk.
‘The Diamond’ departs with the fourth-most post-fight finishes in UFC history and the most victories over current, former, or future champions. However, for many, the wasted opportunity at UFC 257 still stings. But can we completely blame Dana White and believe that the opportunity was stolen from him by the UFC’s politics? Well, several neutral fans believe otherwise.
Fans come out to defend Dana White from Dustin Poirier fans
While some believe Dana White robbed Dustin Poirier of his rightful title crowning in 2021, others have pushed back just as strongly. After fans reignited the debate following Poirier’s retirement, a second wave of voices emerged. But this time, it was not to criticize Dana White but to highlight Poirier’s decisions and missed opportunities.
They argue that the UFC did not deny him gold; rather, Poirier chose the $1,000,000 payday over the prize. A huge number of people defended Dana White by citing Poirier’s own decisions. One user commented, “He was offered to fight for the title and declined to earn more money against Conor.”
Others agreed, stating, “That was his shot for the belt, but he chose money,” and “He just chose money over a title fight.” In their opinion, Poirier preferred a blockbuster trilogy with McGregor rather than waiting for the vacant belt to be officially declared. To them, that was a business decision, not UFC sabotage.
Meanwhile, another group focused on the big picture rather than a single missed shot. “He had multiple title fights and lost them all,” one person stated. Others pointed out that Poirier was “0-3 in title fights, including the BMF belt,” and that if the McGregor fight had been for gold, “he would have lost anyways.”
Despite the backlash, Dana White was not completely exonerated. A few fans nevertheless took fingers at the UFC CEO, citing his “crazy favoritism by stalling the lightweight division.” Another commented, “If Dana wasn’t such a baby, this fight would’ve been for the belt.” But what do you think? Can the UFC be blamed for Poirier retiring without having won an undisputed title? Let us know in the comments.
The post Dana White Rescued by UFC Fans as Dustin Poirier Faces $1M Reality Check Over Khabib Nurmagomedov Decision appeared first on EssentiallySports.