Dustin Poirier beat Michael Chandler in what was a controversial barnburner of a bout at UFC 281. However, despite the win, the writing on the wall was clear for some. A lot of fans who watched the fight were left with the impression that The Diamond’s days as a top contender were over.
It seems Beneil Dariush, the #4 ranked lightweight in the UFC, also believes that Poirier’s best days are behind him. Dariush spoke on Submission Radio, responding to some comments Poirier made earlier. “Man, you should really consider, I say this as nicely as possible, I’m not trying to be a d***. But he should really consider retiring.” However, Beneil also clarified that he really wanted to fight Dustin Poirier.
Thanks for the advice Benny! I'll take it into consideration. Not sure if you're into hot sauce or not but if you are free Shipping on me!👊https://t.co/SNEgodVkkT https://t.co/7FFwgKitk3
— The Diamond (@DustinPoirier) January 9, 2023
Poirier took to Twitter to respond to Dariush’s comments. The Diamond responded in a very sarcastic and cheeky manner. “Thanks for the advice Benny! I’ll take it into consideration. Not sure if you’re into hot sauce or not but if you are free Shipping on me!” wrote Poirier as he retweeted Beneil’s quote. Proving himself a keen businessman, he did not miss the opportunity to promote his brand of hot sauce. It seems despite his recent health issues, Poirier’s sense of humor remains intact.
Do Dustin Poirier and Beneil Dariush have beef?
Dustin Poirier wears his heart on his sleeve and he sometimes ends up upsetting people because of it. He showed this side of himself recently in his post-fight interview at UFC 281, responding to Islam Makhachev’s claims about him.
This aspect of his persona was also on full blast during the third Conor fight. So when asked on the MMA Hour about whether a potential bout against Beneil Dariush excites him, Poirier didn’t hold back anything.
“Not really. No disrespect to Beneil, great fighter. He did it the right way. He goes in there and handles business, and I respect that and I’ll watch when he fights. When we just talked about the other names that I fought recently, that one’s not super exciting when I think about it.” said Poirier about the possibility of facing the Iranian lightweight.
Dustin Poirier not wanting to face Beneil Dariush does seem quite baffling. Even Beneil himself seems confounded by this as he implored Poirier to clarify what exactly made him not want to face Dariush. After all, they are ranked #2 and #4 in the UFC’s lightweight rankings. Dustin fighting an up-and-comer would be a welcome change and a real test for Beneil who will be facing a former interim champion in Poirier.