Dustin Poirier Embracing Underdog Role Ahead of UFC 242

Dustin Poirier is once again an underdog as he heads into the UFC 242 headliner against undisputed 155-pound king Khabib Nurmagomedov.

For Poirier, being the underdog is nothing new. Prior to UFC 236, for example, oddsmakers tabbed “The Diamond” as an underdog in his interim lightweight title clash against Max Holloway, and the American Top Team product emerged with a five-round victory. Heading into UFC 242, Poirier is embracing the role once again and is ready to show he has what it takes to shock the world.

“For sure, I have been counted out a lot of times. At this point in my career, this is another fight people are counting me out once again,” Poirier said on the UFC 242 media conference call. "For a good reason, right, the guy is undefeated. We are traveling across the world, to a place where he is more favored there. But, I’m embracing this. I’m going to go out there and do what hasn’t been done and put a loss on Khabib’s record for all the underdogs across the world.

“I’m going to show everyone if you believe and work hard enough, focused enough, determined enough, in that 25 minutes you can be great. That is just what I was talking about,” he added. “I have a real opportunity to be great and do something that has never been done. I will not let this slip through my fingers.”

UFC 242 takes place in Abu Dhabi on Sept. 7, and the main card airs on pay-per-view via ESPN+ at 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT.