Dustin Poirier reveals "really bad" mental health struggles after Justin Gaethje loss, credits Alexander Volkanovski for emotional honesty

Dustin Poirier recently discussed the profound mental health battles he faced following his loss to Justin Gaethje.

'The Diamond' made a triumphant return to the octagon this past Saturday, securing a spectacular second-round finish of Benoit Saint Denis in the co-main event of UFC 299 in Miami, Florida.

Prior to this redemption, the 35-year-old Louisiana native had suffered a devastating head kick knockout defeat against Gaethje at UFC 291 last July, plunging him into a tumultuous period filled with thoughts of retirement and deep-seated anxieties about his mental well-being.

During his recent appearance on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, 'The Diamond' openly shared how his loss eight months earlier had thrown him into a "really bad" mental state:

"After the Gaethje fight, I went through some real mental struggles, man. I was going through some stuff. That's really when I started practicing mindfulness, setting my intentions, and just trying to be grateful for every day. Yeah, it is very scary."

Poirier deeply resonated with the challenges faced by former UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski, who became emotional while discussing the mental strain that motivated him to accept a short-notice rematch with reigning lightweight champion Islam Makhachev at UFC 294:

"Whenever I saw Volk talking and kind of expressing himself and being honest... we're going through the same thing. I actually started doing therapy after the fight. I think its important to open up and talk about how you feel."

Check out Dustin Poirier's comments below:

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Dustin Poirier anticipated Benoit Saint Denis to engage in "gun-slinging"

During his backstage interview with the UFC, Dustin Poirier dissected his knockout triumph over Benoit Saint Denis at UFC 299. 'The Diamond' emphasized that while the bout may have appeared to be a chaotic brawl, the victory resulted from extensive training and technique honing:

"We practiced this in the back, and I know UFC has the footage because the camera was back there. We were practicing catch, catch, fire the hook, catch catch, fire the hook. He fought my buddy Thiago Moises, and when he got Moises against the fence, he starts throwing these combinations from the hip, gunslinging, and his chin’s in the air."

He added:

"He’s a decent puncher and a big guy, but he throws everything into every shot with not the best technique. But, we saw a lot of openings, and I really felt that right hook was gonna be there. And boy, was it."

Check out Dustin Poirier's comments below (2:35):