Dustin Poirier is itching to fight again, and is willing to enter the octagon even on short notice. Rumors have surfaced that the UFC is seeking a replacement for Michael Chandler at UFC 309. The American was set to take on Charles Oliveira in a rematch at MSG. For reasons unknown, the fight is to be shelved. Poirier has jumped in immediately, reminding the promotion of his presence in case they need a fighter to fill in.
A Poirier vs Oliveira fight makes a lot of sense given the legendary status both the fighters enjoy in the lightweight division. It could, arguably, be more exciting than the Chandler fight. Oliveira and Poirier are two of the most entertaining fighters in the division. Rest assured, it is going to be a thrilling ride if they cross paths.
Oliveira reacted to the rumors of Chandler pulling out on X (formerly Twitter) with an emoji. Poirier responded with two words,
“I’m in.”
That’s all ‘The Diamond‘ had to say to get the fans excited about him facing ‘Do Bronx’.
Of course, Poirier won’t get the luxury of a full-fledged training camp if the fight happens. 10 days is just not enough to prepare to take on the lightweight champion.
The pair has fought previously when the Brazilian held the belt. In that bout, Poirier started well, before ‘Do Bronx‘ came back in spectacular fashion and finished the fight with a rear naked choke.
However, do keep the excitement quotient in check: this is just a speculation at present.
Helwani on Oliveira vs. Chandler
After waking up to a flurry of posts on X about the change of plans at UFC 309, Ariel Helwani immediately clarified that Chandler might not pull out at all.
“Based on the conversations that I have had the fight is not in jeopardy. I don’t know if there is smoke to the fire right now. I reached out to the Chandler team and was told, news to them. Reached out to a couple of people and they said, news to them,” he said.
Helwani believes that this could be one of the ‘crazy’ rumors on X that go viral just days before the fight to cause chaos.
Every source he contacted seems to confirm that they have not heard anything about the fight being in jeopardy. And with no official confirmation from either the UFC or the teams of both the fighters, it looks like Poirier will have to dust off those gloves another day.
