The MMA community has been buzzing with talk of a rematch between Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje, two of the sport’s top lightweight competitors. While fans are eager to see the two clash once again, there are conflicting reports on whether or not the rematch will actually happen.
According to Justin Gaethje, the UFC approached him to coach for the upcoming season of the TUF reality series against Dustin Poirier. Gaethje then claimed that Dustin Poirier declined the offer to compete against him in a rematch.
Gaethje talked to Daniel Cormier He stated that he understood Poirier’s decision not to take part in the show, given the extended time commitment and the small financial reward.
Gaethje said: “They asked if I wanted to do TUF against Poirier, and he said no. I don’t blame him. I wouldn’t do it if I was him when you’ve got that much money. What, you’re going to pay me $80,000 to go f**king six weeks away from my family? No thanks.”
The UFC went ahead and booked Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler as rival coaches for TUF season 31, leaving Poirier and Gaethje out of the picture. While Gaethje recently got back on track with a win over Rafael Fiziev, Poirier returned to his winning ways with a submission victory over Michael Chandler at UFC 281.
Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje have both competed against just about all of the top contenders in the lightweight division. Given the current state of the division, a rematch between the two former interim champions makes more sense than ever before.
However, Dustin Poirier has stated that he is open to a rematch with Gaethje. In an interview with FanSided MMA, Poirier’s statements regarding the matchup conflicted with what Gaethje had said.
Poirier admitted that the match against Gaethje makes him nervous but that the danger is what motivates him. If the UFC wants a matchup between the two, Poirier says that the bout might happen.
Gaethje said to Amy Kaplan: “When I hear a name and I get nervous, it’s motivation.”
While there are no official plans for a rematch between Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje at this time, the MMA community remains hopeful that the two competitors will eventually face off once again.