Some may complain that a featherweight fighter is getting a shot at lightweight gold, but that doesn’t appear to be the case with Poirier.
“That part is tough to say (about whether Holloway deserves it),” Poirier said at the UFC 236 open workouts (via Mike Bohn of MMA Junkie). “The guy is obviously a reigning, defending world champion. Stopped (Jose Aldo), arguably the best 145-pound champion of all time, twice. He has been looking incredible every fight and put it all together, but to jump up and skip the line in a top-heavy division is a little different. But timing, availability, circumstances, and here we are.”
Holloway has a chance to make some UFC history at UFC 236, as he could become just one of a handful of fighters to simultaneously hold two belts in two different weight classes.
Poirier doesn’t really care who stands across from him at UFC 236, because the fighter plans to leave the Octagon as a champion.
“I’m going to win Saturday night,” Poirier said. “A lot of people want predictions; I say it’s going to be a tough fight. This might be the best fight anybody’s ever seen. I don’t know. This is going to be a grueling fight, I believe, and he’s going to be in there with no quit as am I. I don’t know a prediction, but I feel like I’m going to stop him.”
UFC 236 takes place on Saturday, April 13 from the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia with Max Holloway and Dustin Poirier headlining. Fightful is providing live coverage of the event, with a post-show podcast to follow.
