Much has been made of a potential fight between #1 ranked lightweight contender Dustin Poirier and fan favorite Nate Diaz. Diaz and Poirier have been trading barbs on social media, but Michael Bisping insists that the best move for Dustin is to take on the champ as soon as possible.
On the Believe You Me podcast, Bisping urged Dustin to be smart about his future, emphasizing the chaos and inherent unpredictability of the fight game.
Bisping Compels Poirier to Take Oliveira Fight: “Keep Your Eye on the Prize”
“Keep your eye on the prize, baby boy. Listen, a fight with Nate Diaz is gonna generate big money. Yes, it probably would be good for his legacy, good for his brand. Good for when he’s retired and people look at his resume and they go, ‘Oh, there’s a Nate Diaz victory as well.’
But do all that after you’ve beat Charles Oliveira.” A title fight against Charles Oliveira represents the culmination of a multi-year mission for Dustin Poirier. After he lost to Conor McGregor at featherweight, Poirier moved up to lightweight.
His first run at a title saw him crowned interim lightweight champ, which Khabib Nurmagomedov quickly put an end to. Now, in the post-Khabib era, Charles Oliveira is the first undisputed champion, and Dustin Poirier’s first opportunity since the Khabib loss to become undisputed lightweight champ.
Michael Bisping insists that Poirier must seize the opportunity to become champion as soon as possible, lest anything go wrong that would prevent him from ever strapping on a UFC belt.
“Anything can go wrong in this world, especially in the fight game. You might get injured in the training camp. You might fight Nate Diaz, even if you beat him you might come out of that with a really bad injury that’s gonna affect you down the line.
Might affect you winning the world championship. The highest prize, the best accolade to have, is the world championship.”
We’re sure that Dustin Poirier wouldn’t say no to the world title, but he’s been tempted away from title shots by money fights before. For his McGregor trilogy, Poirier confirmed what many suspected and took McGregor fights to earn more money than he would have against Charles Oliveira. For prize fighters, the payday often means more than glory, although the two usually go hand in hand.
Would you rather see Dustin Poirier fight Nate Diaz or go for the world title? Does he have what it takes to dethrone Charles Oliveira? Let us know in the comments.
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