The new interim champion Dustin Poirier is ready to lock horns with the unbeaten king Khabib Nurmagomedov in a bout. This is going to be a big one. ‘The Diamond,’ Dustin Poirier is all set to dethrone ‘The Eagle.’
He has raised his game by winning the interim crown at UFC 236 in a rematch with current featherweight titleholder, Max Holloway. This victory has earned him the new top challenger position to take on the 27-0 Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Nurmagomedov is currently serving the suspension from UFC 229 and it appears that he will have his comeback in September at UFC 242 in Abu Dhabi. Now both the date and location are decided and also his teammates getting reduced suspensions, it is only the matter of time to make it official.
Dustin Poirier shared his thoughts on the match-up and what he needs to do to walk away as ‘and new.’
Dustin Poirier said;
“There’s not like one thing that’s glaring at me that we need to work on it’s just my overall game and being a better fighter, we have to make holes by just performing out there. I will and can [get back up after being taken down]. I create space with my Jiu-Jitsu, I don’t think people know how long I’ve been doing Jiu-Jitsu. As long as I’ve been fighting – before I ever fought. I’ve been doing Jiu-Jitsu 14 or 15 years, I’m a black belt. I’m gonna create space with submissions and put him in danger and make him have to respect me and then I’ll get up.
“It’s gonna be a scrap but I’m gonna make him make mistakes and we’ll see what happens. If he slows down, it’s gonna go downhill for him. I think with my overall game, I can cause threats and problems for him early on as well. I don’t need him to gas out to win this fight.
“Against all odds, I’ll get it done, man. It’s the story of my life.”
UFC 242 is all set for September 7 and currently only two bouts are lined up as welterweights Belal Muhammad and Takashi Sato will clash as will bantamweights Khalid Taha and Bruno Silva.
Nurmagomedov’s aforementioned teammates in Zubaira Tukhugov and Abubakar Nurmagomedov are also expected to fight on the card. For Abubakar, it would be his promotional debut.
