For many, the battle between Nate Diaz and Dustin Poirier at UFC 230 in Madison Square Garden next month was unofficial main event for the organisation’s third event inside the world’s most famous arena. 

Imagine the frustration then when it was announced that an undisclosed injury had forced Poirier out of the bout and the matchmaking merry-go-round which followed, which dragged everyone from Sijara Eubanks to Daniel Cormier to Derrick Lewis into the spotlight as the UFC attempted to gauge public reaction to the event.

As of now it seems increasingly unlikely that Poirier and Diaz will be matched up later in the year, or early in the next, as Diaz seems to have his heart set on facing Khabib Nurmagomedov upon his return.

Poirier has put together an exemplary 8-1-1 ledger in the lightweight division following a first round defeat to Conor McGregor in the featherweight fold four years ago and, judging by a message he released on social media, ‘The Diamond’ says that he will soon know the timetable for his return.

Small setbacks happen.. I’m flying out to LA next week to get a second opinion on my injury and I’ll have an idea of when I can return to compete, I can’t wait to get back in the Octagon!!

Thank you all for the support 🙏

— The Diamond (@DustinPoirier) October 11, 2018

“Small setbacks happen,” Poirier wrote. “I’m flying out to LA next week to get a second opinion on my injury and I’ll have an idea of when I can return to compete, I can’t wait to get back in the Octagon! Thank you all for the support.”