In a recent display of resilience and skill, former UFC interim lightweight champion Dustin Poirier triumphed in the co-main event of UFC 299, where he faced off against French lightweight Benoit Saint Denis. Poirier showcased his prowess by knocking out the formidable Frenchman in the second round, following a strong opening performance from Saint Denis, who is known by his moniker ‘God of War.’
Following the fight, Poirier joined Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour and expressed his discontent with Joe Rogan’s commentary during the broadcast. Poirier was particularly taken aback by Rogan’s repeated remarks about his stamina. “I rewatched the fight last night with my wife when we got back to Louisiana. Joe Rogan said I was exhausted, said I was tired like five times. Bro, I do not get tired. I have some of the best cardio in this fight s**t that we do. Like I can go 25 minutes hard, cracking the whole time. I can’t believe that he said that…” Poirier stated, defending his conditioning and combat readiness.
Poirier also reflected on his mindset as the second round approached, noting that the knockout came sooner than he anticipated. He had expected the fight to extend into the later rounds, where he planned to wear down Saint Denis. “But I felt good. I felt like he was going to slow down, you know. That’s what I was hoping for, I thought third or fourth round is when I would really start to like, pull away and break him down. But I got him out of there in the second. I thought I was gonna have to break him down, wear him down a little bit more but I caught him in the middle of a trade when his chin was up and his body wasn’t set for that right hook. The timing of it was just perfect to whip his brain around,” Poirier recounted.
Elsewhere, former middleweight champion Israel Adesanya weighed in on Poirier’s victory, offering his perspective on the fight’s dynamics. Adesanya acknowledged Saint Denis’s aggressive start but pointed out the risks of such a strategy against a seasoned striker like Poirier. On his YouTube channel, Adesanya commented, “Dustin fight, yeah crazy. Benoit put his foot on the gas and paid off till it didn’t pay off. He got caught and not in the guillotine. Got caught with a punch and knocked out. But yeah, I was impressed with his escape as well from one of guillotines, he did the cartwheel. He’s a good grappler, good pace. If you can do that for five rounds, jeez. But yeah, congrats to DP.” Despite his recent win, Poirier remains at No.3 in the lightweight rankings, having won five of his last seven fights.
The discussion of Poirier’s performance and his reaction to the commentary highlights the intricacies of the fighter’s experience and the perceptions that follow a high-profile bout. Poirier’s comments and Adesanya’s analysis offer a glimpse into the competitive nature of UFC and the ongoing narratives that surround each fighter’s journey within the octagon.
