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Following his loss to Charles Oliveira at UFC 269, Dustin Poirier indicated he may be done fighting at lightweight. He stated that due to the grueling weight cut needed to make 155 lbs, it might be easier to motivate himself and move up to the welterweight division instead.
Dustin Poirier is one of the best lightweights on the planet. He is a former interim champion in the division but has now lost two fights for the undisputed title. A move up to welterweight would provide him with some fresh matchups that may be appealing to the veteran.
Some may question a move up in weight for Poirier given that he looked to be on course to becoming lightweight champion after the first round of his last fight. However, 'The Diamond' has been successful moving up a weight division in the past as he began his UFC career competing at featherweight.
While it currently seems like Poirier will take some time away from the sport after what was an understandably devastating loss, if he does choose to return at 170 lbs there are certainly a number of fun fights for him to take.
Here are the 5 most exciting matchups for Dustin Poirier in the welterweight division:
#5. Dustin Poirier vs. Stephen Thompson
Stephen 'Wonderboy' Thompson could be the perfect opponent to welcome Dustin Poirier to the welterweight division. He has plenty of credentials at 170 lbs having challenged for the welterweight title on multiple occasions but has struggled in recent times, losing his last two fights.
These losses, to Gilbert Burns and Belal Muhammad, have likely ended the chances of Thompson re-entering the title picture any time soon. However, he is still a high-profile name and ranked No.7 in the division, meaning a win for Poirier in this matchup would immediately thrust him among the elite UFC welterweights.
The recent losses would not make this fight as exciting as in the past. However, 'Wonderboy' against 'The Diamond' would be an incredible fight at 170 lbs.
#4. Dustin Poirier vs. Michael Chiesa
Dustin Poirier vs. Michael Chiesa would certainly be an exciting matchup at 170 lbs. Chiesa is another top 10 welterweight that, despite suffering some recent losses, is still a big name.
Chiesa was in the running for a title shot not that long ago but has since suffered defeats to both Vicente Luque and Sean Brady. With that being said, 'Maverick' had his moments in both of those fights and has plenty left in him.
This fight would be a fun clash of styles and would give Dustin Poirier the opportunity to show that he is capable of beating world-class UFC welterweights should he manage to pick up the win.
#3. Dustin Poirier vs. Rafael dos Anjos
If Dustin Poirier is to test the waters at 170 lbs, perhaps doing so against a man who has successfully competed at both lightweight and welterweight makes sense. Rafael dos Anjos is a former lightweight champion but has also shown he can very much hang in the welterweight division.
While dos Anjos appeared to be moving back down to 155 lbs, he recently tweeted that he would be open to fighting in either division. Poirier fighting him at 170 lbs might be a good option as it could allow 'The Diamond' to try out the weight class without facing a big size disadvantage.
In truth, this would be an entertaining fight in any division, given just how talented these two men are. Pitting the former interim lightweight champion Poirier against the former undisputed champion in dos Anjos would be sure to produce fireworks.
#2. Dustin Poirier vs. Colby Covington
Dustin Poirier and Colby Covington have a legitimate dislike for one another that would make this bout massively entertaining. Covington has continuously taken shots at his former teammate since splitting from American Top Team.
Covington is likely the toughest potential fight on this list for Poirier as he is largely considered the second-best welterweight in the world. However, 'Chaos' has now suffered two defeats to current welterweight champion Kamaru Usman and will have to string together some wins to re-enter the title picture.
This makes sense on a number of levels, with the only potential obstacle being Dustin Poirier's team-mate Jorge Masvidal also making a lot of sense as Covington's next potential opponent.
#1. Dustin Poirier vs. Nate Diaz
Dustin Poirier said himself that the only name that would sufficiently motivate him to get back in the octagon at the moment is one Nathan Diaz. The two stars became household names during their battles with Conor McGregor and a bout between the pair would surely do big numbers.
The pair were to meet at UFC 230 but Poirier pulled out due to an injury and this clash was never rebooked.
Nate Diaz has lost his last two bouts and currently has one fight left on his UFC deal. With that being said, these outings were against elite welterweights and Dana White has also indicated he would be interested in potentially booking Diaz vs. Poirier.
Seeing two of the most popular fighters in all of the UFC square off would be a dream come true for MMA fans everywhere. It would also be interesting to see how Poirier would fare against the more established welterweight in Diaz.
