Justin Gaethje and Dustin Poirier stepped inside the octagon at UFC 291 in Salt Lake City, Utah, to fight for the BMF title. The two last clashed in 2018, and ever since, a rematch between the lightweight veterans was dream bout for the fans. In their first meeting, Dustin Poirier got the better of Gaethje. However, this time around, ‘The Highlight’ got hold of the BMF tile with a perfect head kick to knock his opponent down.
Although ‘The Diamond’ looked done after the kick, Gaethje finished with a hammer fist just to be sure. UFC referee Herb Dean took no time to stop the fight and came in between the two fighters in such a way that he slid and fell on Poirier which was obviously unintentional.
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However, fans took a dig at the UFC veteran referee as they hilariously pointed out that Dean used former WWE superstar The Rock’s famous finishing move known as ‘People’s Elbow’ to stop the fight.
Dustin Poirier is one of the best lightweights in business and knows how to deal with his defeats in an honorable way. MMA fans loved it when even he commented about the same and found humor in it even after a loss.
Dustin Poirier: Then Herb dropped the People’s Elbow on me.#TheMMAHour pic.twitter.com/hmuAJumfca
— Jed I. Goodman © (@jedigoodman) July 31, 2023
Herb Dean is one of the most experienced referees and has been associated with the UFC for a long time now. He is responsible for saving many fighters from taking unnecessary damage, so there is obviously no doubt about his refereeing skills.
Dustin Poirier wants a rematch against Justin Gaethje
UFC 291 marked the rematch between Justin Gaethje and Dustin Poirier after five years, and understandably, it was one of the most hyped fights of the year. The Highlight has leveled the scores with a second-round win by KO. This makes the perfect premise for a trilogy, as one last fight between the two lightweight veterans will become the ultimate decider.
When Dustin Poirier was asked whether he would like a rematch with Gaethje, he expressed that he definitely wants it but will not chase it.
“Yeah, but then I’ll look like I’m chasing s—t, and obviously he’s moving onto bigger and better things now, he doesn’t have to fight me,” Poirier said in The MMA Hour. “I don’t know. Of course, that would be my No. 1 pick, if I could choose anybody to fight right away.” – he added
The UFC fighter also added that he feels like he is the better fighter between the two of them. He did not take anything away from Justin Gaethje but expressed that he lost because he was not in a good position against an exceptional kick from his opponent.
The bout between Gaethje and Poirier was not exactly what fans expected, but if you think about it, this might have made way for a perfect trilogy. What do you think about this? Let us know in the comments.
