Outside Source
If the stars align, Justin Gaethje would be open to a third meeting with Dustin Poirier. | Getty/UFC
Justin Gaethje won’t deny Dustin Poirier a rubber fight if he comes out of retirement.
Gaethje (27-5) won the interim lightweight title with a brutal beating of Paddy Pimblett at UFC 324 last month. While Poirier retired last year, Gaethje’s performance against Pimblett made him open to a return. Having gone 1-1 head-to-head with Gaethje, Poirier expressed interest in ending his retirement for a rubber fight against “The Highlight.”
Gaethje is also open to a trilogy fight against “The Diamond” if all concerned parties are interested. However, Gaethje is expected to unify the lightweight title against champion Ilia Topuria later this year. While Gaethje won’t turn down a fight against Poirier, he admits that he is primarily focused on moving forward.
Respect for a Warrior
“Dustin’s a warrior and I’ll always respect him,” Gaethje told Bloody Elbow. “If he really wants to come back and the UFC wants that fight, I’d do it. But I’m focused on moving forward, not backward. I’ve got goals I’m chasing, and that’s where my attention is.”
Gaethje suffered a fourth-round technical knockout loss in his first meeting with Poirier in 2018. Gaethje exacted revenge by putting Poirier to sleep with a brutal head kick in their rematch in 2023. Poirier retired following a unanimous decision loss against Max Holloway last year.
This article first appeared at Recent News on Sherdog.com
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