Dustin Poirier Made the Biggest Statement of His Career When He Knocked Out Eddie Alvarez at UFC on Fox 30…
It only took 14 months but we finally got the rematch we’ve all been waiting for… and it didn’t disappoint. Dustin Poirier took on former UFC lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez in a grudge match to finally determine which one of these two warriors was the true king of violence.
The two men have already fought once, back at UFC 211 in Dallas, Texas last year. That fight ended controversially after Alvarez landed an illegal knee. Referee Herb Dean called the fight a No-Contest after Poirier was ruled unfit to continue.
Well, they finally got their opportunity in Calgary, Canada. The pair got it on in the main event of UFC on Fox 30 and their eagerly awaited battle did not disappoint, with a brutal, hard-fought finish. Poirier definitely made his case to be in the conversation for a title shot, with the biggest win of his career.
Great Fight
This was a fascinating fight. The two men were much more measured in the first round, taking time to find their range. Poirier had success with the jab, repeatedly putting Alvarez’s face on blast. The Underground King peppered Poirier’s body with kicks and punches but struggled with distance.
The fight heated up in the second round. The Diamond jumped into Alvarez’s takedown attempt, going for the guillotine, but gave up before his arms blew out from exhaustion. After another guillotine attempt, Alvarez had Poirier up against the cage but threw a blatantly illegal 12-6 elbow.
Referee Marc Goddard intervened and separated the two men. This was the beginning of the end. Poirier landed a huge knee on Alvarez and swarmed him with heavy hands. The Underground King was on wobbly legs, desperately trying to hang on. The referee intervened and Poirier got his revenge.
All questions answered. @DustinPoirier, you are one bad dude! pic.twitter.com/NcCeodInjA
— FOX Sports: UFC (@UFCONFOX) July 29, 2018
Closure
For Poirier, this win was all the more satisfying because Alvarez was spinning the narrative that he ducked out of their last fight. Clearly emotional, he told Jon Anik in the post-fight interview:
“What really irked me this whole camp and after the fight is how I stood up for this man in Dallas, Texas, and then he comes back to say I quit,” Poirier said. “I’ll never quit, I’ll die in here. This is what I do, I live for this every day, all day. This is who I am, I’m a fighter at heart. I’ll never quit in here, that’s disgusting to hear.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfq5wn7OXE4
What’s Next?
The result of this fight has dramatic ramifications for both fighters. For Poirier, the ceiling has never been higher. He’s in the hunt for the title. While Conor McGregor is definitely first in line, expect Poirier to get the next shot, or even be held in reserve during fight week, when Khabib and the Notorious fight. If they can’t agree on terms, then The Diamond’s future will shine even brighter.
For Alvarez, it’s a different story. A champion in every organization he’s fought in, that was his last fight on his current UFC deal. For all, we know we will never see him fight for the company again because he will re-enter negotiations in a much more vulnerable position. A move to Bellator might just be on the cards.
This was Poirier’s night. What a statement he made.
