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Since making his UFC debut in 2011, Dustin Poirier has come a long way. The Louisiana native has developed into a complete MMA fighter. While he has proven his skills on the floor by submitting his opponents several times, 'The Diamond' is widely considered one of the best boxers in the UFC.
Dustin Poirier has executed some of the most devastating knockouts in the UFC, showcasing heavy-handed striking with pinpoint accuracy. In his most recent bout, Poirier shocked the MMA world after handing Conor McGregor the first knockout loss of his career. However, it wasn't the first time that 'The Diamond' has slept his opponents.
On that note, let's look at five of Dustin Poirier's most devastating knockouts in the UFC:
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#5 - Dustin Poirier vs Bobby Green - UFC 199
Dustin Poirier and Bobby Green faced each other in the UFC octagon in 2016. Green was coming off a year-long break, with his previous fight ending in a decision loss. Poirier and Green's face-off ahead of their contest was heated as well, with both fighters jawing at each other and standing in close proximity.
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The fight saw plenty of striking exchanges between the fighters. Bobby Green started landing vicious leg kicks on Dustin Poirier early in the first round. In his signature style, Green mocked 'The Diamond' during the bout, which ultimately led to his downfall.
Dustin Poirier started pressing with Bobby Green's back against the cage. His first significant blow against Green came as a loud jab and a left hook that landed clean on his rival's face. Poirier followed up with his combinations but was tagged multiple times in the process. After completely missing a loaded right hook, Poirier landed a left-hook that sent Green straight to the floor. A little ground and pound was all it took for the referee to pull Poirier away as the winner.
UFC color commentator Joe Rogan lauded Dustin Poirier's knockout of Bobby Green inside three minutes of round one and said:
"Big, big win for Dustin Poirier. Stopping Bobby Green in the first round and the way he did it. The smoothness, the efficiency. Outstanding timing, outstanding patience. Just a very mature effort by Dustin Poirier."
Also read: Dustin Poirier explains why Conor McGregor will be a 'dangerous man' during their UFC 264 fight
#4 - Dustin Poirier vs Conor McGregor - UFC 257
Conor McGregor is definitely the biggest superstar that Dustin Poirier has knocked out in his MMA career. However, speaking of devastating knockouts, the Irishman's KO loss lands him in fourth place on this list.
Dustin Poirier was considered somewhat of an underdog going into this fight. Conor McGregor had TKO'd 'The Diamond' in their first encounter seven years ago at UFC 178. However, Poirier proved to be the superior striker at UFC 257. Although he was tagged several times by McGregor in the first round, he picked up his rhythm as the clock ticked on.
The highlight of the two rounds in which Conor McGregor was TKO'd was a takedown, a big counter left-hook, and calf-kicks - all by Dustin Poirier. 'The Notorious' had Poirier on his heels for the better part of two rounds. But towards the end of the fight, 'The Diamond' slipped a few deadly strikes, and the fighters exchanged positions.
With Conor against the cage, Dustin Poirier started landing proper combinations before landing two big lefts and a straight right. As McGregor started to wobble and looked to exit Poirier's reach, 'The Diamond' hit him with a right upper-cut. McGregor fell to the ground and received a final left-right combination before Herb Dean pulled the winner away.
Also read: UFC 264: Dustin Poirier names the move Conor McGregor might use against him
#3 - Dustin Poirier vs Akira Corassani - TUF Nations Finale
Dustin Poirier faced Akira Corassani in TUF Nations Finale in 2014. At the age of 25, 'The Diamond' proved he was a future UFC Hall of Famer. Poirier took the center of the octagon and engaged in heavy exchanges in the first round, some of which almost cost him the fight.
Akira Corassani knocked him down in the third minute with a counter left. As Dustin Poirier gathered himself and stood back up, he was tagged with another right that hurt his eye. With Poirier not backing down, there were more devastating exchanges between the two. In the dying seconds of the round, Poirier held Corassani in a half-baked Peruvian choke.
As the second round started, Dustin Poirier again occupied the center. 'The Diamond' displayed excellent striking IQ by sneaking an upper-cut through Corassani's guard and hurting him badly. He just needed a couple more strikes to send the MMA veteran down on the ground covering his face.
Also read: UFC 264: What is Dustin Poirier's ethnicity?
#2 - Dustin Poirier vs Eddie Alvarez 2 - UFC on Fox
Dustin Poirier and Eddie Alvarez met for the second time in 2018. Their first encounter ended in a No Contest after the former UFC lightweight champion landed an illegal knee on a downed Poirier. During their rematch, the first round was spent deciding which fighter would set the rhythm.
'The Diamond' and Alvarez were both sizing each other up until the last minute when they decided to pace things up. Alvarez landed 12 body shots while Poirier could only manage one. There were leg kicks, feint jabs and takedown attempts as well, but nothing too significant.
The second round saw more striking exchanges between the two, with both fighters slipping out of extremely close guillotines and neck cranks. The fighters were broken up by referee Marc Goddard when Eddie Alvarez landed a 12-6 elbow on Dustin Poirier's shoulder.
With both fighters busted up and back on their feet, Dustin Poirier landed a big knee on Eddie Alvarez's body and followed up with boxing combinations. 'The Underground King' was visibly hurt. Poirier unleashed on Alvarez and landed at least 20 strikes, with the former UFC champ not holding back as well. After nearly 50 seconds of getting hammered, Alvarez lost via TKO.
#1 - Dustin Poirier vs Justin Gaethje - UFC on Fox 29
Dustin Poirier faced one of the most lethal strikers in the UFC, Justin Gaethje, in 2018. The fighters put on a striking clinic for four rounds from the get-go. While Poirier started landing combinations from the very start, Gaethje absorbed many strikes while landing several hurtful leg-kicks.
However, while Justin Gaethje was not too far behind Dustin Poirier, he was the one who started bleeding from the very first round. Gaethje also started poking Poirier's eyes in the second. But 'The Diamond' braved all the storms and kept landing combinations, despite a swollen right knee and a right bleeding eye.
In the fourth round, Dustin Poirier took over and connected with big strikes, shaking up Justin Gaethje. As Gaethje started wobbling, 'The Diamond' started to press on with classic one-two combos until referee Herb Dean stepped in. Sharp and composed striking by Poirier made this perhaps the most devastating knockout of his career.
It was later revealed that Dustin Poirier was ahead on the scorecard before winning by knockout.
Also read: UFC 264: Conor McGregor's 3 most brutal UFC finishes
