Ahead of his unification title fight with Khabib Nurmagomedov, Dustin Poirier is well aware he’s being counted out by plenty of MMA fans, oddsmakers and pundits.
Well, according to Poirier, you can go ahead and write him off. He’s happy to take the challenge and prove you wrong. After all, he says, he’s been doing it again and again.
“That’s my damn life story — proving people wrong,” Poirier said, speaking with Damon Martin of MMANews. “I’ve been doubted a lot. Not just in fighting but not finishing high school, making it out of the city, just the path that I’ve chosen in life. I’ve been the underdog a lot and it’s just a role that I’m getting used to.
“I don’t mind cause I know what I’m capable of. At this point in my career and at this point in my life, I know who I am as a person, as a fighter, as a father, a husband, a human being. I’m just confident and happy to take on challenges.”
As far as Nurmagomedov in terms of an opponent, it’s not hard to see the dynamics of the upcoming contest, reported to be targeted for September. So far in his career, Nurmagomedov’s grappling pressure has proven to be nigh unstoppable, meaning Poirier will have to find a way that others haven’t.
While some might assume that means Poirier and his camp have to analyse fight footage and conjure up a game plan, the interim champion actually doesn’t know if that’s the route he’s going to take.
Instead, he’s willing to just back himself, show up, and fight the adversity like he’s done so many times before.
“Anybody can be beat. Whoever bleeds can lose,” Poirier said. “People have already started asking me about this fight — ‘what are you going to do? Where do you think you can expose Khabib? What holes? What can you do to stop what he’s done to 27 other people? — I don’t have a good answer. I wish I did.
“But I have good jiu-jitsu, I have good kickboxing, my fight IQ is off the charts and I don’t quit. I don’t stop. I fight to win. I’ll make things happen in there. I surprise myself. I go in there and surprise myself. I don’t know what’s going to happen but I know I can beat him. That’s what I do know.”
