It’s been almost a week since, and I’m sure many of you are still on that UFC 257 high.
So I thought I’d ride that wave for this week’s piece. But I’m going way back, to Poirier’s MMA debut in 2009 against Aaron Suarez in his home state of Louisiana.
As a supposedly raw 20-year-old stepping in the cage for the first time, “The Diamond” fought like he’s been in there all his life. No signs of jitters, just doing what he does best.
You could already see the foundation of Poirier’s game early on. Pressure boxing, the cracking counter right hook, and the killer instinct once he senses that you’re hurt and compromised. Suarez didn’t even have his hands up to defend the punches as the referee stepped in to call the fight.
Suarez never competed again after the fight, leaving the game with a pro record of 1-2. As for Poirier, well, we all know the story there.
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