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No.2-ranked UFC lightweight Dustin Poirier and the No.3-ranked Justin Gaethje have both lately expressed interest in fighting one another. Their first encounter was a closely-contested one that transpired in April 2018. Poirier secured a fourth-round TKO victory over Gaethje on the night.
On that note, No.4-ranked UFC lightweight Beneil Dariush has now addressed the ongoing speculation that the UFC could book Poirier to face Gaethje in a rematch next. In his latest interview with The Schmo, Dariush opined that the matchup could be close to coming to fruition.
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Beneil Dariush is reportedly set to face No.1-ranked Charles Oliveira at UFC 289 on June 10th. It's being touted as a potential title eliminator matchup. Alternatively, many believe that the winner of the possible Poirier-Gaethje rematch could earn No.1 contender status and face UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev before the Dariush-Oliveira winner does.
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Speaking to The Schmo, Beneil Dariush weighed in on whether the UFC could book the Dustin Poirier vs. Justin Gaethje rematch next. Dariush stated:
"Yeah, that's actually something I think the UFC really wants to do. They want to have those guys fight. If you're a fan of the sport, that's a fight to watch. I'm trying to imagine it with the improvement Justin has made and the way Dustin Poirier fights. They've both improved, right?"
He added:
"But I think Justin Gaethje has improved more, both in mindset and technique. He's more patient. He does a better job of setting up his attacks. And then Poirier is a dog. I think he could fight five rounds any day. Any given day, he just knows how to be energy-efficient. He knows how to bait you into the counter. So, I can't wait for that fight."
Catch Beneil Dariush's comments below (14:00):
Dustin Poirier provides a huge update on potential rematch against Justin Gaethje
Dustin Poirier's most recent fight saw him defeat Michael Chandler via third-round submission in November 2022. Meanwhile, Justin Gaethje is coming off a majority decision victory over Rafael Fiziev in March 2023. Earlier this month, Poirier dropped a major update regarding his possible rematch against Gaethje.
Speaking to ESPN MMA, Dustin Poirier emphasized that he'd be open to facing Justin Gaethje in a rematch next. Poirier believes that his rematch against 'The Highlight' could materialize this summer. Clarifying that he isn't evading a rematch against Gaethje, 'The Diamond' said:
"It seems like the Gaethje fight makes the most sense. We'll see, I think it could happen this summer. But I don't have an answer for you, I don't know what's next, but it's looking like the Gaethje fight. He's calling for it. His people around him, I saw an interview, they said they don't think I'm gonna take it. They're some silly goose man."
Catch Dustin Poirier's comments below:
