On paper, Dustin Poirier probably shouldn’t be considered the No. 1 contender in the lightweight division. Logic, however, might go out the door for a potential fight with Islam Makhachev.
Ever since he flattened Benoit Saint Denis at UFC 299, the one-time interim lightweight champion shifted gears to push for a fight with Makhachev, who currently doesn’t have an opponent or a set date for his return. At UFC 300, Justin Gaethje — the man who knocked out Poirier this past July — faces Max Holloway, while former champion Charles Oliveira clashes with Arman Tsarukyan.
The winners from either of those fights could argue for a title shot over Poirier. But UFC welterweight Matt Brown says the Louisiana native has built up enough goodwill and a résumé plastered with enough legendary performances that no one would really complain if he faced off with Makhachev in the summer.
“Why not? Give him a shot,” Brown said on The Fighter vs. The Writer. “That’s all I’ve got to say about it. Why not? Let’s go. Dustin deserves everything. Anything he wants, he should get.”
Deserving or not, Poirier also has time on his side.
With the two key lightweight matchups at UFC 300 in April, it seems unlikely anybody from that card will be able to turn around as early as June 1 at UFC 302 – or even UFC 303 on June 29.
Makhachev has also expressed interest in the fight, so it seems like the matchmakers have an easy job when determining the next person to get a title shot.
Poirier hasn’t rattled off numerous wins in a row, and he’s not sitting at the absolute top of the division, but Brown believes none of that really matters.
“You can’t complain any time Dustin Poirier gets a title shot,” Brown said. “He’s the man. He deserves anything they give him … anything good. Any title shot. Just give it to him. It’s f****** Dustin Poirier.
“Has he ever put on a bad fight? He’s been beat, right? If you want to call that a bad fight, call that a bad fight, but he goes out there and goes to war every time and does his thing, does it with respect and honor, carries himself well, speaks well. Just a f****** great guy.”
Even if Poirier isn’t technically the top contender at 155 pounds, he remains one of the biggest draws in the sport. That could help Makhachev decide, and the champ also seeks to define his legacy as a dominant titleholder in arguably the UFC’s deepest division.
Beating Poirier not only adds an A-list name to Makhachev’s résumé, it potentially sets him up for a run of title defenses.
“There’s some real killers in that division,” Brown said. “Islam’s got his work cut out for him. Islam’s a killer. I wouldn’t pick him to lose against anybody, but a murderer’s row like that, he gets through those guys, no matter how this plays out, he gets four or five title defenses, what a f****** run.”
As much as popularity and hype shouldn’t necessarily determine who gets a title shot in the UFC, almost every athlete on the roster knows differently. To add to that, Poirier just stomped a highly touted prospect in Saint Denis, and he certainly seems ready to face Makhachev.
“I want to see nothing but good things in the world for Dustin Poirier for the rest of his life,” Brown said. “Give him the f****** title shot. Let’s go.”