After an illustrious MMA career, Dustin Poirier finally hung up his gloves at UFC 318 in July 2025 in his home state of Louisiana, where he delivered a war against Max Holloway in a BMF title clash. However, the former interim lightweight kingpin has since opened up about the challenges of adjusting to life without fighting.
Owing to that void, ‘The Diamond’ recently floated the idea of settling his long-standing rivalry with Nate Diaz, but not inside the Octagon. Poirier, who has transitioned into a broadcasting and analytical role with Paramount+ in retirement, admitted he wouldn’t rule out a boxing match if the opportunity aligned.
Having first entered combat sports through boxing, it’s a goal he has long hoped to fulfill, especially now with Zuffa Boxing entering the mix. However, those plans didn’t materialize. Despite Zuffa Boxing being spearheaded by Dana White alongside Turki Alalshikh and Nick Khan, Poirier revealed that his pitch to face Diaz under the banner was ultimately rejected.
Speaking to Joe Rogan on episode #176 of The JRE MMA Show, Poirier detailed the emotional struggle of stepping away from competition and his lingering desire to compete again:
He explained, “I don’t know who I am without fighting. I’m a father. I’m a husband. I’m a lot of things. But fighting was a cloud in my mind that never went away for 20 years, right? And now I wake up, and it’s gone. Like, what do I do? I’m still trying to find out. I don’t know.”
The Louisiana native then reflected on how Zuffa Boxing turned down his desire to box Diaz under their banner. “That’s something I would like to do, man. Box. I always wanted to have a couple before I [retired], but I’m still under contract. Even though I’m retired, I still have a contract with the UFC.”
He added, “Trust me, I already pitched it to them. Me and Nate Diaz, Zuffa Boxing, let’s go. 170, whatever. 168, super middleweight, let’s do it. They don’t want any crossover. They must hate money. They hate money.”
🥊💥 Dustin Poirier wanted to fight at Zuffa boxing against Nate Diaz or others, but the UFC doesn’t want fighters to crossover:
“I always wanted to box. I am still on the contract with the UFC. I already pitched it to them. Me and Nate Diaz in Zuffa boxing, let’s go.
Bur they… pic.twitter.com/D2lHxfvFes
— Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) March 19, 2026
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Poirier went on to suggest that Zuffa Boxing is prioritizing credibility within the traditional boxing landscape by matching seasoned boxers against one another, rather than booking crossover bouts with MMA fighters. That stance echoes comments previously made by Dana White, who dismissed the idea of Ilia Topuria stepping into the ring against Terence Crawford during the buildup to the latter’s high-profile clash with Canelo Alvarez.
Poirier added, “They want to be taken by the boxing world serious. And I think if you open that door of a MMA guy fighting under Zuffa boxing, every guy on the roster, every girl on the roster is going to want to do the same. It just becomes a mess … I think there are some really fun MMA boxing match-ups you can make.”
For context, Poirier was originally scheduled to face Diaz inside the Octagon at UFC 230. However, a hip injury forced him out of the bout, and the matchup was never rebooked. Despite years of back-and-forth callouts and verbal exchanges across interviews and social media, the fight ultimately never materialized.
In the years since, Diaz has ventured into boxing, sharing the ring with Jake Paul and Jorge Masvidal. He has now announced his return to MMA for the first time since 2022, where he is set to face Mike Perry on the Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano MVP card.
As for Poirier, without Zuffa Boxing’s backing, he may now need to explore opportunities elsewhere, whether with Top Rank, Most Valuable Promotions, or Matchroom Boxing. Regardless of the stage, opponent, or timeline, Poirier remains determined to fulfill a long-standing ambition before fully closing the chapter on his combat sports journey.
Kshitiz Kumar Singh is a UFC Writer at NY Fights with over three years of experience in sports journalism and content creation. Known for his sharp storytelling and passion for combat sports, he has written in-depth features on stars like Brock Lesnar, Randy Couture, and Ilia Topuria. Before joining NY Fights, Kshitiz worked as a UFC Editor at EssentiallySports while currently serving as a WWE Editor at FirstSportz. His admiration for legends like Georges St-Pierre continues to inspire his detailed and engaging MMA coverage. Whether he’s covering the Octagon or the squared circle, Kshitiz is committed to delivering accurate, high-quality content. Outside the world of sports, he’s a dedicated cinephile, often found practicing monologues from his favorite Al Pacino films, combining his love for cinema with storytelling.