5 Things You Might Not Know About Dustin Poirier

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Dustin Poirier (24-5, 1 NC) is a title contender in the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s lightweight division. His next appearance will see him challenge current featherweight champion Max Holloway for the interim lightweight belt. It all takes place on April 13 as the main event of UFC 236. The contest is a rematch of the pair’s UFC 143 encounter, which saw Poirier emerge victorious by a triangle-armbar combination in the first round.

In the build-up to the anticipated showdown, here are five things that you might not know about “The Diamond.”

He’s a charitable person.

Poirier has garnered a reputation for helping those in need. Recently, he’s made a habit of auctioning his fight kits to raise money for charity. Following his UFC on Fox 30 clash with Eddie Alvarez, the highest bidder paid nearly $8,000 for the lightweight contender’s fight night clothes and locker room credentials. That was the fourth occasion Poirier had collected funds in this manner. It’s anticipated that “The Diamond” will continue this trend following his forthcoming interim title match-up.

Those that have benefited from the contender’s generosity include a food bank, the family of a police officer killed in the line of duty and a program that assists women and children facing poverty and homelessness.

Half of his wins have come by knockout.

Poirier is known as being a well-rounded mixed martial artist who is skilled in all facets of the sport. However, the Louisiana native’s preferred method of getting his hand raised is by dispatching his opponents with strikes. Of his 24 professional victories, 12 have been via knockout. A remarkable nine of which have come inside the first round.

He’s a fan of getting inked.

Poirier sports numerous tattoos on his body. He got his first one at the age of 14, and he never looked back. The body art fan’s collection includes an outline of his home state of Louisiana on his bicep, a pair of Japanese characters on his chest and a fleur-de-lis covering one hand.

He has won multiple Fight of the Night honors.

A combination of heavy hands and a willingness to brawl have earned “The Diamond” a host of fans and a lengthy list of accolades. During his eight-year UFC tenure, Poirior has won Fight of the Night on five separate occasions. Perhaps the most memorable of the exciting pugilist’s award-winning efforts was his memorable war with Chan Sung Jung. The bout was voted the 2012 Sherdog Fight of the Year.

Most recently, Poirier claimed Fight of the Night honors for his unforgettable battle against Justin Gaethje at UFC On Fox 29.

He’s a good cook.

As a proud Cajun, Poirier devotes a lot of time to preparing meals. The cuisine closest to his heart are the Bayou staples that the Louisiana native grew up eating.

The lightweight even has aspirations of one day hosting his own cooking-related television show. In an interview he even came up with a name for the program, “Dinner with The Diamond.”