Dustin Poirier is contemplating stepping away from MMA after his recent defeat to Islam Makhachev at UFC 302. While Poirier hasn’t officially announced his retirement, he hinted in a recent interview that he is close to ending his career.

A Final Title Shot

Earlier this month, Poirier faced Makhachev for the lightweight title but lost via fifth-round submission. At 35 years old, it was Poirier’s third attempt at undisputed gold, and another title shot seems distant. Reflecting on his future during “The MMA Hour” with Ariel Helwani, Poirier expressed uncertainty:

“I still don’t know,” Poirier said. “I can’t say I’ll never fight again, but I just don’t know the reason. What am I going to fight for? To get into a battle? I love that, but I’ve taken some lumps over the years. It has to be for something. And maybe that’s something I’ll realize in the coming weeks, but I’m just taking it one day at a time.”

Physical Challenges and Personal Reflections

Following his loss to Makhachev, Poirier sustained several injuries, including a broken nose, damaged ribs, and a knee issue requiring surgery. Despite these setbacks, Poirier believes he can still compete at a high level:

“The only thing that makes me not want to walk away is because I know I can still compete with these guys and I feel like I’m still getting better,” Poirier said. “My reaction time is still good, I feel good, and I know I can beat these guys.”

His wife, Jolie, has also encouraged him to consider retirement. Poirier is torn between his love for the sport and the need to take care of his health and family.

TRENDING:

• SEAN O’MALLEY REVEALS POTENTIAL DATES FOR DVALISHVILI FIGHT
• ISLAM MAKHACHEV’S MANAGER HINTS AT POTENTIAL MCGREGOR FIGHT
• VIDEO: ANDERSON SILVA OPEN WORKOUT AHEAD OF CHAEL SONNEN BOXING MATCH

The Uncertain Future

Although he is leaning towards retirement, Poirier is open to the possibility of returning to the octagon if the right offer comes along. He emphasized that a concrete fight offer might change his perspective:

“Talking about those things is not exciting to me, but if my phone rang right now and it was Hunter [Campbell] and he said, ‘This fight,’ I’ve got to see how I feel when it’s offered to me,” Poirier explained. “That’s how I know what decision to make. Talking about it, there’s nothing attractive to me.”

Regardless of his final decision, Poirier seems content with his achievements and the person he has become through his MMA journey:

“Of course I’m not happy with the result, but I’m happy with who I am,” Poirier said. “What’s more important, what you acquire on the journey or who you become on the journey? And the person I’ve become on this journey, I’m forever grateful to the fight game for turning me into this person.”

For more details and updates on Dustin Poirier’s future, visit MMAnytt.se