"Diamonds are forever" - MMA world bows down to Dustin Poirier's "gangster" right hook knockout win over Benoit Saint Denis 

In a thrilling lightweight clash at UFC 299, fight game veteran Dustin Poirier silenced rising star Benoit Saint Denis with a knockout in the second round.

Saint Denis lived up to his reputation, pressuring Poirier relentlessly throughout the first round. He landed heavy body kicks and knees, forcing Poirier to defend against takedown attempts as well. Despite showing signs of fatigue toward the end of the round, Saint Denis remained a threat.

The fight took a dramatic turn in the second round. Poirier unleashed a perfectly timed left that sent Saint Denis crashing to the canvas. While the Frenchman briefly regained control after fending off a guillotine choke attempt, a critical mistake proved costly. He left his chin exposed and Poirier capitalized with a crushing right hook, putting an emphatic end to the fight.

Check out Poirier's knockout below:

The MMA world erupted in praise for Poirier's masterful performance. Fellow fighters took to social media to express their admiration.

Former rival Conor McGregor acknowledged the fight, writing:

"Great fight out of them French boys tonight! Toutes nos félicitations"

Reigning lightweight champion Islam Makhachev lauded Poirier's experience and skills:

"Very impressive Dustin 👏🏻💎"

Former featherweight king Alexander Volkanovski commented:

"Now that’s what experience looks like! 👏 #ufc299"

Michael Chiesa also congratulated Poirier, writing:

"Diamonds are forever. #ufc299"

Check out some of the fighters' reactions below:

Fellow fighters react to Dustin Poirier's impressive KO win at UFC 299

Fellow fighters react to Dustin Poirier's impressive KO win at UFC 299

This victory extends Poirier's impressive record to 29 wins with eight losses so far. He has won eight of his last 11 fights and holds a remarkable 13 first-round knockouts under his belt. Journalist Marc Raimondi reported that Poirier is now tied with Drew Dober for the most knockouts in UFC lightweight history (9).