Dustin Poirier built a Hall of Fame career on being one of the toughest guys in the UFC. But outside the cage, one bad night at the airport is costing him serious money.
The retired lightweight star was arrested on June 21 at the Atlanta airport after Delta staff wouldn’t let him board his flight because he had too much to drink.
Not surprisingly, it put a black mark on his decorated image and now he is facing consequences as sponsors are dropping him, and the gigs he had lined up are completely gone.
Why Dustin Poirier Reacted Aggressively to Police at the Airport Gate
Police were called to Delta Gate D36 around 4:50 p.m. because an intoxicated Poirier was arguing with airline staff after they refused to let him board. Body camera footage later showed him yelling at officers and squaring up before they handcuffed him.
He was booked into Clayton County Jail on a misdemeanor public intoxication charge, which can carry up to a year in jail. Right after his release, Poirier posted an Instagram apology admitting he needed help, and then he went radio silent entirely.
Now, weeks later, he did a 90-minute interview on “The Diary of a CEO” podcast and claimed that the breakdown was tied to his father’s long battle with alcoholism.
“He’s actually homeless right now,” Poirier said. “Part of that, me getting drunk at the airport — and it’s not my weight to carry — but I tried to help him, and he’s back on the street. On Father’s Day, I was traveling to work and I just couldn’t stop thinking about my father. I started drinking at the airport and that’s what led to the incident.”
Such a painful story, but since most people didn’t know the background, folks both inside and outside the UFC mocked him after his arrest. Now, the situation is even tougher for him as it has already affected his source of earnings.
The Financial Fallout Hits Dustin Poirier’s Brand
For a guy who spent his retirement focusing on his hot sauce, his charity, and his TV gig on Paramount+, this mess is costing him big time. He was super honest about how much trouble he’s in right now over the arrest.
“I have a bunch of sponsors. It’s kind of murky right now, I think it’s still too fresh. I know one big one isn’t a sponsor anymore,” Poirier said in the same interview. “Oh yeah, I’m sure I lost a few. I’m waiting to see when the smoke clears who’s with me or not. That day cost me not only embarrassment and embarrassment for my family, it cost me a lot of money too. I’m losing sponsors, I’m losing gigs, I’m losing things I had set up.”
That is the harsh reality of the fight game’s business side once an athlete retires. The brand deals and TV positions depend entirely on the reputation built inside the cage. For Poirier, everything shattered sooner than he expected.
ALSO READ: Jon Jones Urges Dustin Poirier to Forgive Himself After Viral Airport Arrest Drama
However, he is taking accountability far beyond a standard apology. He even asked his lawyer to get the responding officer’s contact information so he could personally thank him for how the arrest was handled.
Whether his sponsors will return once the smoke clears remains the biggest question hanging over his life after fighting.
