Dustin ‘The Diamond’ Poirier has the privilege of watching two of his lightweight rivals fight at UFC 314, one of whom he defeated in a bloody war.
No. 7-ranked lightweight Michael Chandler takes on Paddy Pimblett in the co-main event of Alexander Volkanovski vs. Diego Lopes at UFC 314 in Miami, Florida. Poirier defeated Chandler by rear-naked choke in their 2022 fight-of-the-year contender at UFC 281.
Poirier vs. Pimblett was in the MMA rumor mill in February before Poirier dismissed Pimblett in favor of fighting UFC legends for his retirement fight.
Now, Pimblett has a breakthrough fight with Chandler, and ‘The Diamond’ has offered his official prediction.
‘Go heavy on the money’ … Dustin Poirier picks Michael Chandler to defeat Paddy Pimblett
Taking to X on February 22, Poirier made a bold prediction for the lightweight matchup, insulting Chandler.
“Even though he’s a b—-, Chandler all day go heavy on the money,” Poirier wrote.
Usually, fighters squash their beef after 15 minutes in the Octagon, but not Poirier and Chandler. The two scrappers have been trading online barbs since their 2022 war, with Chandler wanting a rematch with Poirier and the Louisiana fighter snubbing him every time.
Why Dustin Poirier doesn’t like Michael Chandler
‘Iron Mike’ and ‘The Diamond’ aren’t on friendly terms after Chandler utilized a plethora of fouls in their fight. Poirier revealed Chandler used fish hooks and other fouls in their fight. Chandler denied the fish hook allegations as accidental.
“I will admit his mouth was open, and my hand went inside of there and was on his mouthpiece,” Chandler told collective media after UFC 281. “He bit down, I was trying to pull it out. It wasn’t as though I was trying to pull it out, and he was biting it and I couldn’t get it out. It was more just the angle. I mean you’re getting pushed up against the cage.”
Chandler was also guilty of fouling Charles Oliveira in their fight at UFC 309. The American wrestler hurt Oliveira in the fifth round and pummeled the back of his head and neck, almost securing a TKO with illegal strikes. He wasn’t reprimanded for the technique.