Former UFC star Dustin Poirier does not believe one lightweight is getting the flowers he deserves.
Poirier trained with some of the best in the game during his career, most of which was spent under the banner of American Top Team in Coconut Creek, Florida.
During his latter years, ‘The Diamond’ hit the mats with a number of his fellow UFC lightweights, with one of his main training partners being a longtime figure inside the top 10 of the division in Poland’s Mateusz Gamrot.
But when naming the “most underrated” fighter currently competing in the organization while in Chicago for this weekend’s UFC 319 pay-per-view, Poirier chose a different teammate.
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Dustin Poirier names Grant Dawson as the ‘most underrated UFC fighter’
Poirier was asked to choose a name in that category alongside other quick-fire questions during an interview for the ESPN MMA YouTube channel. The Louisianan fan favorite pointed to a name he is familiar with in ranked lightweight Grant Dawson.
“The most underrated fighter in the UFC? Bro, there are so many good guys,” Poirier began.
“Let’s go with somebody I know: Grant Dawson.
“He doesn’t get talked about enough,” Poirier added. “He’s a killer and definitely dedicated to the game.”
‘KGD’ is currently the No. 14 contender at 155 pounds, having worked his way back into the rankings with three wins in a row against Joe Solecki, Rafa Garcia, and Diego Ferreira.
Prior to his current run, Dawson’s brutal knockout loss to King Green in 2023 marked his first loss in 13 fights and only setback in the UFC to date.
Having rebounded impressively from that result, Poirier evidently thinks his longtime teammate deserves more recognition.
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Dustin Poirier’s first role since retirement comes at UFC 319
It has not taken long for Poirier to get his first gig since retiring from mixed martial arts.
‘The Diamond’ headlined UFC 318 against Max Holloway this past July. After losing on the scorecards, Poirier laid down his gloves and retired, bringing an end to his memorable and lengthy career on the sport’s biggest stage.
Questions quickly emerged regarding Poirier’s next step, and it seems one venture will be keeping him close to the action in the UFC.
Poirier will work as a UFC 319 analyst for ESPN, a role he has filled a couple of times in the past and has hinted could become a regular occurrence.