"I don't think they're bringing him back" - Dustin Poirier talks failed Nate Diaz fight bid, reveals he wasn't offered Conor McGregor next

Dustin Poirier will make his return to the octagon next month when he faces Benoit Saint Denis in the co-main event of UFC 299. The No.3-ranked lightweight recently revealed that he was not offered a tetralogy bout against Conor McGregor while discussing how a bout with Nate Diaz failed to materialize.

Speaking to Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour, 'The Diamond' stated:

"Conor was never thrown out. We spoke about Nate a little bit, but I don't think they're bringing him back. I'm not sure. I don't want to get into all that stuff. I don't know what's going on, but no, no other big names. Nothing was thrown... The Nate one is going to get away. I don't know how many fights I have left - I think six with the UFC. He's moving on to boxing and stuff. I just don't see how our paths will cross. I just wanted to fight this guy because I grew up watching him."

Poirier was asked if his canceled bout with Diaz at UFC 230 will bother him as he ages, responding:

"I would've liked it to happen, but I would really like for the UFC or for Nate to be honest and tell the truth about why that fight fell apart because everybody still thinks that I pulled out and all this... He was playing a bunch of games with the UFC. They started offering me replacement opponents, telling me he was off the card. I had a hip problem going on. I let the UFC know I was going to fight if it was him. If they use a replacement fighter, I'm out."

Check out Dustin Poirier's comments on Nate Diaz and Conor McGregor below:

Dustin Poirier added that once he was offered replacement opponents, he pulled out from the bout. While many hoped to see him face either Nate Diaz or Conor McGregor, neither bout was able to come to fruition.

The No.3-ranked lightweight is coming off a second-round knockout loss to Justin Gaethje at UFC 291 in his last bout. Meanwhile, Benoit Saint Denis is riding a five-fight winning streak, finishing all of his opponents in that span.

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Dustin Poirier reveals why he is not fighting at UFC 300

Dustin Poirier had previously shared that he is hoping to make his return to the octagon at UFC 300. During a recent appearance on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, the No.3-ranked lightweight revealed why he is not fighting on the card, stating:

"They offered me this fight for 300. I was talking with Hunter [Campbell] and we were maybe the opening of the pay-per-view, maybe the second fight of the pay-per-view and then 299, we started talking about and to be the co-main event, I'm like, that's a much bigger slot, it's close to my training camp, it's close to home... I wanted to be part of 300. This just made more sense, I think."

Check out Dustin Poirier's comments on fighting at UFC 300 below:

When asked if he believes UFC 299 is a better card than UFC 300, Poirier agreed that the former is stacked. He noted, however, that the main event of the latter has yet to be announced.