The lightweight division of the UFC is known to be highly competitive and to have the best fighters in the world of MMA. High competition often led to rivalries that went so far that they popularized the sport even more. Obviously, the case in point here is the epic rivalry between former UFC champions and two of the most influential MMA fighters, Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Khabib retired undefeated in 2020, and many believe that Conor is way past his prime, and they are not very wrong as he has fought just four fights in the last seven years and has only won once. However, one fighter who has been there for the UFC to keep fans of the lightweight division excited is former Interim Champion Dustin Poirier.
Poirier has been associated with the UFC since 2011 and has made a name for himself with his elite striking skills. Recently, a fan asked Dustin Poirier on ‘X’ about whether he would like to be the backup fighter for the probable matchup between Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler.
No, I’m not a replacement fighter https://t.co/SPEyiZemkH
— The Diamond (@DustinPoirier) September 3, 2023
Rejecting the idea completely, Poirier said, “No, I’m not a replacement fighter”. Fans sided with Poirier on this one, as being as successful as he is, ‘The Diamond’ would not agree to be a backup fighter even if the job paid him a lot of money.
Moreover, him being a backup fighter in the fight means that in case Conor or Chandler pull out, Poirier will have to jump in, but even that won’t be very interesting for the fans as Dustin has already fought McGregor three times and has even defeated Chandler in their only match-up.
How much did Dustin Poirier earn from the Conor McGregor fights?
Dustin Poirier has been part of many exciting match-ups that have been able to make many PPV events successful. Of course, being a fan favorite, Poirier himself has earned a fortune from the sport, but the fighter earned his biggest paycheck for his career when he fought Conor McGregor.
Poirier first fought the Irishman in 2014 at UFC 178, where he lost by a first-round TKO. ‘The Diamond’ took home just $34,000 for this fight. However, things were not the same when the two veterans met next, as Conor became one of the most popular fighters in the world and Dustin also made a name for himself. Reportedly, Poirier made $1,070,000 in the second fight against Conor McGregor in 2021, which he won by TKO.
Poirier earned $1,021,000 in the third fight, which happened in July 2021 at UFC 264. Thus, the total amount made from the trilogy was $2.1 million. Dustin Poirier last fought another lightweight veteran, Justin Gaethje, at UFC 292 for the BMF title, which he lost after a perfect head kick by ‘The Highlight’.