Dustin Poirier has beaten the who’s who in the sport, but one particular win has added value to his resume.
Poirier (28-6 MMA, 20-5 UFC) holds wins over former UFC lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez, former UFC interim champ Justin Gaethje and former UFC dual-champ Conor McGregor twice.
And while all three are elite-level fighters and notable wins, Poirier thinks Max Holloway (22-6 MMA, 18-6 UFC) is the most skilled fighter he’s beaten.
“I fought a lot of really good guys and beat a lot of really good guys – probably Max Holloway,” Poirier said in an ESPN+ Q&A session hosted by UFC correspondent Laura Sanko.
Poirier outlasted Holloway in all-out war to capture the interim lightweight title at UFC 236, putting a halt to Holloway’s dual-champ aspirations. “The Diamond” was able to put Alvarez, Gaethje and McGregor away, but against Holloway, Poirier stood toe-to-toe with a man who has never been dropped and just wouldn’t break.
“Just his grit,” Poirier said. He matched the grit that I bring, which I don’t think is easy to do and his durability was amazing. He took some heavy shots. I knew he was hurt multiple times and he every time the bell rang he answered it and he came out ready to scrap, and I’m thankful for it because I learnt a lot in that fight.”
