At UFC 269, Dustin Poirier has the chance to finally become a true world champion in UFC when he takes on lightweight champion, Charles Oliviera.
Poirier has held the interim belt before, but in Las Vegas on December 11 ‘The Diamond’ is going to be Oliviera’s first challenger since claiming the gold at Michale Chandler’s expense last summer.
Conor McGregor appears to be waiting in the wings for the winner. His team have already said he’ll be returning to challenge for the title once his broken leg fully heals and UFC president Dana White has also said he’ll look to match McGregor with Poirier again to properly finish their rivalry.
But who will that champion be? UFC pros and experts have had their say on Poirier v Oliveira.
Khabib Nurmagomedov, former UFC lightweight champion
“I have it 60/40 Dustin Poirier because of his cardio and heart,” Nurmagomedov told . “Charles is a very, very dangerous opponent. Right now, he’s a real champion. He has a nine [fight] win streak, he beat , he finished eight [other] guys.
“It’s a very interesting fight for me, but I think it’s 60/40 Dustin Poirier.”
“This guy is a real finisher,” Nurmagomedov said of Oliveira. “He’s very dangerous. I think if Dustin Poirier can take him to the deep ocean like he told us, I think he’s gonna win. If he [rushes], I think Charles Oliveira has a chance to win.”
Dan Hardy, Former UFC welterweight title challenger
“I just think skills-wise, Oliveira is a better martial artist all around,” Hardy said. “Whether Dustin Poirier can apply it better because he’s been swimming in this top pool for a bit longer, I don’t know.
“But I’ve seen no reason to believe that Charles Oliveira won’t be champion by the end of the fight. It wouldn’t surprise me if he’s able to back Poirier up against the fence and beat him up a little bit, and then catch his neck on the way in. Something like the Kevin Lee fight.
“But at the same time, I wouldn’t be surprised if Oliveira decides to go offensive and take Poirier down and kind of beat him up and maul him like he did Tony Ferguson. It’s a hard fight for Poirier.
“He’s got heart, and he’s got heavy hands, and once he gets in the swing of things and finds his rhythm, if Charles Oliveira has not been prepared for those championship rounds, then for sure Dustin Poirier can take that belt. But skill-wise, from the research I’ve done, I think Charles Oliveira has got probably a 70 or 80 per cent chance of coming out on top.”
Michael Bisping, UFC Hall of Famer
“It’s a tough fight for both men. I’d say Poirier is the favourite and I’d also assume Poirier probably wins.”
Justin Gaethje, former UFC lightweight title challenger
“It’s going to be a good fight. I think Poirier will win and I want Poirier to win. If I can get that Poirier win back… [Eddie] Alvarez is gone and Poirier beat him before he left, Khabib is gone so I can never get that win back, but fighting Dustin again means I can get back those two losses on my record. So I want him to win.”
Michael Chandler, former UFC lightweight title challenger
“I think they’re both well rounded; I think Poirier has got little more of that kind of dog in him when the fight gets into the thick of it.
“Obviously Charles Oliveira beat me in the second round, right you know, very soon into the second round, so we didn’t see the longevity in a fight like that. We’ve seen him going three rounds with Tony Ferguson but that was a one-sided affair.
“I think the fight with Dustin Poirier; He puts hands on him pretty solidly in the first couple of rounds and kind of starts putting on the Charles. I think Poirier wins that fight in the probably the third or fourth round.”
Daniel Cormier, former UFC light-heavyweight and heavyweight champion
“We got two dudes that are as good as they come at lightweight fighting for the title at the height of their powers. They’re both at the height of their powers. You fight Dustin Poirier last year, or two years ago when Khabib [Nurmagomedov] beat him, he might be a little bit unsure of himself.
“But after these two wins over [Conor] McGregor, he’s never been more confident and he’s getting his title shot right now. Charles Oliveira, you fight him back in the day, when Paul Felder beat him, the next guy might have had a chance. But once you’ve reeled off 10, 11 in a row, those thoughts of being beat, those are gone.”
Jorge Masvidal, UFC BMF champion
“Yeah, Dustin (Poirier) fights for the lightweight title, wins it. Storybook ending. I’ve seen this man grind from the beginning. It’s just amazing to see where he is at right now.”
Javier Mendez, AKA head coach
“That’s an interesting fight; Charles is a great fighter. They have different styles, it depends on who can dictate where the fight ends
“You know, in close, it’s going to be Dustin, and in the range, it’s going to be Oliveira. On the ground, you know Charles has a slight edge, so that’s a tough fight.”
Henry Cejudo, former UFC flyweight and bantamweight champion
“Oh my god, that’s going to be an entertaining fight, I think. I do believe that Charles Oliveira is a more technical fighter. He has got some more skills, he has got more tools in his arsenal, but Poirier has been through Conor McGregor and Justin Gaethje.
“He has been through some of the toughest fighters in UFC, and he is that war proven, and that’s the only thing that scares me for Charles Oliveira. Even though I am going with Charles Oliveira, and I really like Charles Oliveira, I feel like Dustin Poirier. He just has that grit that I wish Charles Oliveira had.”
