Dustin Poirier ‘Down But Not Out’ Following Humbling UFC 242 Defeat

Dustin Poirier broke down in the Octagon following his third-round submission loss to Khabib Nurmagomedov in the UFC 242 headliner this past Saturday.

The disappointment was understandable. It took Poirier 22 Octagon appearances to capture interim UFC gold, and in his 23rd bout, Nurmagomedov made it look relatively effortless to snatch “The Diamond’s” undisputed championship opportunity away. While he was emotional in the aftermath, Poirier assured his fanbase that he will be back in a statement released via Twitter.

“Didn't get the result I wanted Saturday. This is what happens sometimes when you're chasing greatness. I gave this my all. I'm down but not out,” Poirier wrote.

“Thank you for the kind messages and support. It means the world to me. This one really hurts. It's a hurt that “I’m very familiar with…”

Didn't get the result I wanted Saturday. This is what happens sometimes when you're chasing greatness. I gave this my all. I'm down but not out

Thank you for the kind messages and support. It means the world to me. This one really hurts. It's a hurt that im very familiar with... pic.twitter.com/z8QCWeABdY

— The Diamond (@DustinPoirier) September 9, 2019

Heading into UFC 242, some observers believed Poirier possessed the skill set necessary to defeat Nurmagomedov. Instead, the American Top Team representative had only fleeting moments of success, landing a few solid punches in the second frame and briefly ensnaring his opponent in a tight guillotine in the third round. Other than that, it was all Nurmagomedov thanks to his usual blend of suffocating pressure and grappling.

Poirier has nonetheless established himself as one of the top lightweights in the sport since moving from 145 pounds. Prior to UFC 242, he had lost just once in his previous 11 outings and posted notable victories over the likes of Anthony Pettis, Justin Gaethje, Eddie Alvarez and Max Holloway, to name a few.