3 things every UFC fan needs to know about Dustin Poirier

Dustin Poirier has emerged as one of the biggest stars in the UFC in recent years. A perennial contender since his arrival in the octagon, Poirier has always been a fight or two away from becoming the undisputed champion in both featherweight and lightweight divisions.

The Lafayette, Louisiana native recently reached new heights in terms of popularity after knocking out the UFC's biggest superstar Conor McGregor. In doing so, Poirier was able to avenge his 2014 knockout loss against the former two-division champion.

Now he's gearing up for a third fight against his rival at UFC 264. Ahead of his highly-anticipated trilogy bout against 'The Notorious' Irishman, let's take a look at three things that every UFC fan should know about Dustin Poirier.

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#3 Dustin Poirier went to juvenile prison

Dustin Poirier [Photo credit: @dustinpoirier on Instagram]

As a delinquent child, Dustin Poirier often got into trouble in his neighborhood and at school. At 10-years-old, Poirier and his parents once appeared in court after he knocked a tooth out of an 18-year-old kid during an illegal boxing match.

Driven by teenage angst and the effects of his parents' divorce, a young Poirier found himself at a juvenile detention center which resulted in him dropping out of high school. He seemed destined to head toward a troublesome way of life, until he fell in love with the sport that would forever change his life.

Poirier discovered boxing at the age of 17. He was intent on pursuing a career as a boxer but then saw a few MMA fighters training at his gym. Not long after that, Poirier contacted a local MMA gym, and just like that, his cage-fighting career began.

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#2 Dustin Poirier's astonishing UFC debut

Dustin Poirier skyrocketed into title contention after just one fight in the octagon. After going 1-1 during his brief stint with World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC), Poirier made his way to the UFC when the two promotions merged in 2011.

Because the UFC didn't previously have a 145-pound division, then-WEC featherweight king Jose Aldo was automatically promoted as the new UFC champion. Aldo was scheduled to face number one contender Josh Grispi at UFC 125, but ended up withdrawing from the title fight due to an injury.

A 21-year-old Poirier jumped at the opportunity, stepping up on a month's notice to fight Grispi for his promotional debut. 'The Diamond' shocked the world when he decimated the number one contender and ended his 10-fight winning streak.

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#1 Dustin Poirier thanks Conor McGregor

Dustin Poirier regularly points to his UFC 178 loss to Conor McGregor as an important turning point in his career. Although Poirier walked away with a painful defeat, he took with him a valuable lesson that would lead to the beginning of a new era in his career.

In the lead-up to the fight, Poirier was worked up by the Irishman's mind games. 'The Diamond' revealed in an interview with FloCombat that moments before he walked out, McGregor flashed a big smile and pointed at him.

The Irishman's gamesmanship worked to perfection as Poirier grew enraged, causing him to fight recklessly. Despite managing to chip McGregor's teeth, 'The Notorious' had the last laugh as he bagged the TKO win in round one.

After the fight, Poirier revealed that he learned not to pay attention to what his opponents were saying. Now a calm and composed fighter, Poirier boasts wins against stars like Justin Gaethje, Eddie Alvarez, Max Holloway and, of course, his rival McGregor.