When Dustin Poirier opened up about "asking to be released" from the UFC, claimed he lacked "Dana White privilege" unlike Michael Chandler

Dustin Poirier once revisited the time he'd asked to be released from the UFC organization. In addition, Poirier took aim at longtime rival Michael Chandler, alleging that 'Iron' was supposedly favored by UFC CEO and president Dana White, whereas he (Poirier) wasn't.

Poirier has clashed against Chandler once inside the octagon and defeated him via submission in a grueling lightweight bout in November 2022. During an appearance on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani in July 2024, Poirier was asked whether he'd consider facing Chandler in a rematch.

'The Diamond' dismissed it, deriding Chandler for having waited on the sidelines since November 2022 for a potentially lucrative fight against combat sports megastar Conor McGregor. Referencing Tony Ferguson's infamous jibe against Chandler, wherein Ferguson accused him of having 'Dana White privilege' -- Poirier similarly jibed at the 38-year-old. He said:

"But he's got -- I think he's got Dana White privilege too. So he'll be alright. He'll be alright ... Oh yeah, they'll take care of him."

Dustin Poirier claimed that Chandler would do anything the UFC said, whereas he always engaged in fierce negotiation battles against the UFC. Upon being questioned about which the toughest negotiation was for him with the UFC, Poirier recalled:

"Probably before, when I was asking to be released, before I fought Max [Holloway], like in 2018 or '19 in Atlanta ... Because it was just. I don't know. I don't remember exactly. But they were offering fights that I didn't want ... I don't know exactly. But I was asking to be released then ... I ended up getting the Max [interim UFC lightweight title] fight. So it worked out."

Dustin Poirier, who's competed in the UFC since January 2011, indicated that he was unhappy with his place in the company and his contract. The Louisianian implied it was the closest he'd come to departing the UFC but was happy he stayed. Poirier claimed he didn't have a post-UFC backup plan, further suggesting that he'd even publicly requested high-ranking UFC brass for a release.

Helwani then raked up Poirier's supposed negotiation disagreements with the UFC heading into his fight against Benoit Saint Denis in early 2024. The veteran fighter admitted that he'd battled with the organization over the 'BSD' fight too and was almost out of that matchup. He recounted canceling his wife's flight and then rebooking it, which is how bad the negotiation dispute had purportedly gotten.

Check out Dustin Poirier's comments below:

Watch the podcast episode below (*Poirier's comments at 31:27):

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Dustin Poirier has hinted at impending end of his UFC and MMA career

Dustin Poirier's most recent fight witnessed him suffer a fifth-round submission defeat against UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev in June 2024. It marked the third time he'd come up short in an undisputed UFC lightweight title fight.

Before and after the Makhachev matchup, Poirier had hinted at retiring from MMA soon. Well, in a recent interview with MMA Fighting, 'The Diamond' reaffirmed that his next fight would be his last in the UFC and in the sport of MMA. Underscoring that it'd likely transpire in July/August in his home state of Louisiana, the 36-year-old said:

"I'll drop it. It's Summer; July or August probably, and we're working on UFC New Orleans."

Watch Dustin Poirier discuss the topic below (3:56):