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Ultimate Fighting Championship
Martial ArtsMixed Martial Arts

UFC 257: Dustin Poirier keen to ‘whip’ Nate Diaz next but shuts down Michael Chandler fight

  • ‘I can guarantee I won’t be fighting Chandler. They can do whatever they want with the division,’ says Poirier after TKO of McGregor
  • ‘Me and Conor are 1-1. Nate Diaz got away and likes to talk a lot online, we’ll see’

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Dustin Poirier sends Conor McGregor backwards at UFC 257 in Abu Dhabi on Sunday. Photo: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC
Nicolas Atkin
Dustin Poirier has got the world at his feet after knocking out Conor McGregor – but he made it clear he isn’t interested in a match-up with Michael Chandler.
The former Bellator champ made a big splash on his UFC debut with a first-round TKO of No 6-ranked Dan Hooker on Sunday’s UFC 257 co-main event, though “The Diamond” feels Chandler is not worth his time in the Octagon.

“Respect to Chandler, great win,” Poirier said at the post-event press conference inside Etihad Arena. “But to come in and beat a guy I just beat and get a title shot? Dude, I’ve been doing this for 27, 28 fights in the UFC, trying everything, fighting the toughest of the toughest guys to get my hands on gold.

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“He should fight Charles Oliveira or something, let them go at it. It doesn’t really interest me at the moment. I’ll go and sell hot sauce if that’s the case.”

Former interim champ Poirier is likely to regain his place as the No-1 ranked contender in the lightweight division, and with Khabib Nurmagomedov (29-0) seemingly reiterating he will stay retired, has a good claim to the soon-to-be vacant throne.

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That leaves a rematch with McGregor or Justin Gaethje as other options, while the No 3-ranked Oliveira staked his claim for a title shot with a dominant unanimous decision over Tony Ferguson last month.

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