Dustin
Poirier had to have some profound conversations with himself
going into his UFC
299 clash against Benoit St.
Denis.
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After extending his finish streak to five with a brutal-head kick
knockout over Matt
Frevola, St. Denis aimed high with a callout of Poirier. While
“The Diamond” was initially dismissive of the callout, he was taken
by surprise when the UFC offered him the fight.
As one of the biggest stars of the sport, Poirier had to seriously
consider why he would accept the booking against a dangerous
up-and-comer. While he almost knew all along that he would accept
the booking, Poirier found motivation in the need to test
himself.
“I was more surprised when they offered it to me,” he told ESPN. “I thought it was gonna be another legend in the
fight game or a former champion, something you know that’s gonna be
big. Not that this isn’t big. That’s why I flipped it you know.
Personally I had to flip it, like ‘What’s my motivation, why am I
gonna do this?’ Just to fight? Because I don’t know what else to do
with my time. Am I fighting for money? I know I’m not fighting for
money, money is great. But why am I getting up and running these
miles and getting beat up the gym and pushing myself and going to
sleep hungry, and why am I doing that?
“I thought deeply about it before coming to training camp and when
I committed to this fight. And the answer to all those questions
is, to test myself. Thirty fights in the UFC, let me fight this
young man who has fire in his eyes, he’s a young lion who’s
finishing people. Let me put myself in front of his guy and see
what happens. I know I still have it but I wanna prove it to
myself.”
While he has been a perennial top contender at 155 pounds,
undisputed gold has evaded Poirier despite two title shots. “The
Diamond” isn’t desperate for a shot right now and wants to solely
focus on Saturday’s challenge. With a career spanning over 15 years
already, Poirier also acknowledges that the show is nearing its
end. Despite his immense love for the sport, which takes away a
part of him almost every time he competes, Poirier can’t choose it
over his loved ones.
“I know it’s coming. I can’t do this forever. I’m 35 years old,
this is my 40th professional fight, I have a lot of amateur fights
as well,” he said. “You know I have a family to be there for and I
can’t love something so much that — because every time I get in
there – Saturday night a piece of me is gonna leave that I can
never get back. And I have come to terms with that. And sometimes
it’s not that way but 95% of the time it is that way. Just the way
I fight and the kind of fights I get involved in. And I understand
that, but I can’t love something so much where it takes away from
what’s most important. Fighting is just something I do.”