Yahoo Sports MMA contributor Ben Foulkes looks at UFC 302 and says it could be a career-defining fight for Dustin Poirier.
Video Transcript
This is Ben from Yahoo Sports.
This week is fight week for UFC 302 in Newark, New Jersey.
I’ve been excited ever since the main event was announced, featuring UFC lightweight champion Islam Maeve defending his belt against Dustin Poirier.
Now, what excites me about this fight is the stakes, especially for Poirier, and not just the shiny gold belt that Maeve is holding.
For Poirier, this is a chance to give a whole different shine, a different interpretation and a different story to his entire career thus far.
Because if I retired tomorrow, what I would say about Dustin Poirier is that he’s a tough guy, an exciting action fighter that we always wanted to see, and a guy that, honestly, is as beloved as N. Marat you see right now, just seems like a nice guy, but he’s never won a big fight.
And here is your chance to win big.
I mean, he won the interim belt early in his career.
Even if it was, it’s not the same thing.
There is no need to say “interim” before it.
This is an obvious title shot and if we win now it will make us look at everything that has happened so far in a different light.
All the ups and downs that we feel we have lived through with you.
All this was just the beginning of the victory.
Then you can walk away saying you’re UFC champion for the rest of your life, it’s a different kind of career.
And this is his last chance to make it happen.
I’m looking forward to seeing it.
can’t wait.
