"Life is deep man" - When Dustin Poirier opened up about mental struggles after Justin Gaethje loss, recalled Theo Von's words of encouragement

Back in mid-2023, Dustin Poirier was on the receiving end of one of the year's most viral knockouts, courtesy of a Justin Gaethje head kick. A year afterward, he had a sitdown with Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour, speaking candidly about his mental health.

While MMA fighters and boxers often present themselves as paragons of hyper-masculinity with a gladiatorial edge, Poirier sees no point in the posturing. He shared, with honesty, the mental health struggles he experienced following his loss to Gaethje.

"We are so in the spotlight and being tough guys all the time and stuff, but we're people too. You know, like that part of the mindset—like Dustin the fighter—but what about Dustin [the person], you know, what about me? Life is deep, man, and fighting is just something I do. So, it's good to tap in with yourself and check in on yourself. Be good to yourself, like my boy Theo Von says."

Check out Dustin Poirier's comments below (27:43):

For Poirier, the knockout loss to Gaethje at UFC 291 was his first loss due to strikes since a jaw-dropping knockout loss to Michael Johnson at UFC Fight Night 94. However, the defeat to Gaethje was more impactful for two reasons. First, it was a rematch of an earlier encounter Poirier had won.

At UFC on Fox 29, 'The Diamond' had TKO'd 'The Highlight' in a generational thriller. So, the loss brings into question who the better fighter between them is. Second, their rematch was over the BMF title, which marked yet another non-interim title Poirier has failed to win.

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Dustin Poirier recently touched on the importance of mental health

During his recent appearance on The Jim Rome Show, Poirier stressed the importance of looking after one's mental health, a lesson he learned after his loss to Justin Gaethje.

"I have so much to be grateful for, but living this life, running the businesses that I do, and doing all the fights I do, it's just such a chaotic place to be in your head sometimes. Just to organize those mental files. If you're not feeling well, it's not weakness to admit that you're not feeling well."

Check out Dustin Poirier talking about his mental health (58:21):

He also credited his wife, Jolie Poirier, with assisting him in how he should navigate the feelings and struggles he was experiencing.