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#4 Improved striking defense
Perhaps one of the biggest criticisms directed towards Dustin Poirier over the years, has been that the man never quite seems to get it right when it comes to the defensive aspect of MMA striking. As evidenced by his KO/TKO losses to Conor McGregor and Michael Johnson, Poirier seems to have a bad habit of abandoning his game-plan and get sucked into phone-booth boxing exchanges.
However, after his loss to Johnson, Poirier has taken a highly disciplined approach to his striking. Despite getting drawn into brawls here and there, he now makes sure that his hands are up, and his bobbing and weaving movements are always on point.
Honestly speaking, Poirier has always been an excellent offensive striker, and now with the defensive aspect of his striking having caught up with the offense; the sky is the limit for this young man. Conor McGregor would surely have a much more difficult time trying to penetrate The Diamond's defense come 2019.
