Dustin Poirier finally reveals why he took the fight against Benoit Saint-Denis

Benoit Saint-Denis and Dustin Poirier. Photo via YouTube and Instagram (@benoitst_denis)

The lightweight bout between promotional veteran Dustin Poirier and rising star Benoit Saint-Denis has all it takes to be an intriguing matchup.

Former interim champion Poirier has literally fought everyone worth his salt over the past years, while Saint-Denis just started to work his way up in the rankings.

“I’m 35, he’s 28. He finished five guys in a row,” Poirier said of the matchup on The MMA Hour. “He’s finishing all of his wins in his career. Maybe that’s why, I don’t know. My whole life, I’ve been an underdog. This is where I performed the best.”

“Somebody gave me my shot to crack in [to the top 15],” Poirier said. “So I respect the game, and that’s what I’m doing. Let’s see if I still [got it]. You know the meme with the dog looking in the mirror and he’s like, checking to see if I still got that dog in me?”

Read more: Rising Muay Thai star Johanna Persson booked for international title fight

Dustin Poirier demanded five rounds

One of the demands the veteran had for the fight was that it would take place over five rounds.

“I feel like the better fighter, unless something crazy happens early, the better fighter wins over five rounds,” he said. “Even if he doesn’t fatigue, or even if it’s not deep waters to him, he’s the god of war. That’s what he wants. I feel like the rhythm, timing, my experience, I pick up on that stuff the longer the fight goes, and I’ll find openings.”

Benoit Saint-Denis and Dustin Poirier will clash in the co-main event of UFC 299 on March 9.

Read more: All you need to know about UFC Fight Night 236 with Jack Hermansson

Subscribe to Frontkick.online on YouTube for the best MMA and Muay Thai videos in Scandinavia, make sure to follow us on Instagram for the latest news and updates and check out our sister site Maximum Sports YouTube channel for premium Swedish martial arts content!