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Brett Okamoto
NEW ORLEANS — One of the vital iconic careers in combined martial arts historical past will come to an in depth Saturday, as Dustin Poirier will make his remaining stroll to the UFC Octagon towards Max Holloway at UFC 318 (10 p.m. ET on ESPN+ PPV).
Poirier continues to be thought-about one of many high lightweights on the earth, ranked No. 5 in ESPN’s divisional rankings. However the 36-year-old mentioned he has determined to stroll away to protect his long-term well being — although the considered life with out combating unnerves him.
“I have been combating my total life, however I feel it is a ravishing time to stroll away,” Poirier informed ESPN. “It is scary. I actually do not know what life goes to seem like with out it. I will need to undergo it to speak about it.”
With wins over Holloway (twice), Conor McGregor (twice), Michael Chandler, Justin Gaethje and Dan Hooker, Poirier is among the greatest MMA fighters by no means to seize UFC gold and sure a future UFC Corridor of Famer.
As a lot as Poirier’s profession has meant to him and his household, it has additionally meant one thing to these closest to him — in addition to numerous followers worldwide.
“I hope [my career] made somebody understand irrespective of the place you might be or what’s stacked towards you, if you happen to chase your goals, commit your self to one thing and keep devoted, you can also make miracles occur,” Poirier mentioned.
Forward of UFC 318, ESPN requested Poirier’s household, mates and members of his group to jot down “The Diamond” letters, describing their feelings round his remaining combat and what his profession meant to them. It is protected to say Poirier succeeded in his aim of inspiring others all through his 16-year profession.
Letters have been flippantly edited for readability.
‘You readjust. You recalibrate. You re-believe in your self.’
Huge D!
Congratulations in your UFC profession. It has been a blessing to get to witness your wars through the years. A few of my favorites had been your win towards Holloway in Atlanta at UFC 236, when Dana White put the belt on you; the Dan Hooker Battle Night time in 2020; and the Benoît Saint Denis knockout at UFC 299! I used to be watching from Australia. The entire bar went bonkers. It was magical.
It is also been a present while you did not get the victory — to observe you navigate these instances, to take the excessive street in disputes, to be affected person, to be trustworthy with your self and to attempt to share as a lot of the lows with the followers and mates as you could possibly. To allow us to grieve these moments with you, thanks, man.
Watching you present up for your self and on your wars has impressed me a lot through the years. And I do know I am not the one one. There are occasions I wish to give up and I do not, and it is since you did not give up. You by no means give up. You readjust. You recalibrate. You re-believe in your self. And also you make the stroll again into the hearth of life. And since you try this, it helps us try this.
So, on behalf of your followers (if they will enable it) and the state of Louisiana (if they will enable it), I wish to say thanks. Thanks for letting us be part of all of it. I could not really feel luckier to know a human as distinctive as you. You might be an inspiration to me and to many. Thanks for sharing all you could possibly with us. You are an amazing fighter, however you are additionally REALLY GREAT, Dustin Poirier.
God Bless “The Diamond.” Excited to see what he shines into subsequent.
All love,
Theo Von and Everybody
Comic and good friend
‘You informed me you’ll at all times keep true to your self’
DP,
Realizing that is your final combat is bittersweet. In so some ways, I am unhappy for egocentric causes. It is unhappy as a result of I do know I will not see you as a lot, understanding you reside in Louisiana and sometimes solely come to Florida for camp. On the intense facet, you probably did provide to fly again and assist anybody that wants assist, which is the kind of teammate you have at all times been. You are at all times prepared to fly to Florida and bounce right into a camp for whoever may be combating a southpaw, and you’ve got at all times completed it by yourself dime. It is unhappy to see you go, however I am blissful you can be transitioning right into a a lot safer, more healthy way of life.
I am most proud that you simply informed me you’ll at all times keep true to your self, and that is precisely what you probably did. You mentioned, “If I’ve to win a pair additional fights to get a title shot, that is superb with me.” I feel on the time you first fought for the interim belt, you had the second-longest path there, solely behind Michael Bisping. You by no means performed a personality, acted faux or wore a humorous hat to get consideration. You merely educated onerous, confirmed up and fought with all of your coronary heart. And that gave us a number of the best fights in our sport’s historical past.
What I will miss most is the camaraderie, the combat journeys, the blokes all collectively. Typically combat journeys are tense and loads of work, however yours had been free, relaxed, loads of enjoyable. Renting houses the previous couple of years and holding all the coaches and coaching companions collectively, it has been a blast each time — with leisure often hooked up to one thing like pingpong or one other sport that we will gamble on.
The reminiscence that stands out for me is from some time again, when the gymnasium tradition was a lot totally different. Again after we had been sporting 16-ounce gloves and headgear and sparred one hundred pc. The game has developed and we do not try this anymore, however you crushed sparring companions throughout that point. You’ve got at all times had that pure energy, and even with 16-ounce gloves and headgear, you had been knocking guys out.
We ran out of sparring companions, and I known as my outdated good friend Mark DellaGrotte from Boston and informed him we wanted a accomplice for “The Diamond.” After which sadly, you knocked him out within the very first sparring session. I felt so horrible and apologized. I assumed nobody would ever assist us once more due to that. You were not being malicious, you simply hit him with that clear shot. They understood in the long run, however the ethical of the story was everybody knew Dustin can crack!
Mike Brown
American Prime Staff head coach
‘I am grateful I’ve had a front-row seat to your greatness’
My man,
What a journey! Fifteen years flew by whereas all of us witnessed your greatness and the true character of a fighter! Your storied profession could not have occurred to a extra deserving particular person! You might be everybody’s hero, and the game was fortunate to have had you.
I’ll miss watching you fulfill your future. Once we met, you solely had a imaginative and prescient and self-belief, which was at all times second to none. By way of that self-belief and tireless hours of labor and self-discipline, you punched your ticket to superstardom. I am unsure there’ll ever be one other Diamond, and I am simply grateful to have had a front-row seat to your greatness all of those years.
The UFC 257: Poirier vs. Conor McGregor 2 victory in Abu Dhabi was fairly frickin’ superior! The strain main as much as that combat was intense, and there was a lot on the road behind the scenes! The psychological mountain you climbed to get that victory and overcome the loss within the first McGregor combat was nothing wanting legendary. The style of getting that one again was an unforgettable second. I’ll always remember celebrating within the cage. I’ll cherish that reminiscence eternally.
I’m so pleased with the husband, father and particular person you might be right this moment. Love you, brotha, and need you much more success within the subsequent chapter.
Robert Roveta
Longtime supervisor
‘You helped me with stuff like that’
What up, D. Cash?
I wish to thanks for letting me be a small a part of your journey as a fighter and thru life. Realizing that is your final combat is somewhat heartbreaking, as a result of I at all times stay up for seeing my dawg shine within the cage. You shine brightest each time you step in there, and it evokes me. Selfishly, I’ll positively miss it. However as a real good friend, I perceive why you are strolling away and I am pleased with you for making that call.
Watching you because you began off as a child, it has been one of the motivational issues I’ve ever seen. Seeing the underdog make it to the highest, from the slums.
I bear in mind this in the future, I had misplaced a combat, and also you had been like, “Man, I do not see how one can be so blissful after a loss. It is cool to see that,” and actually man, the rationale I might do it’s I had watched you do it. I am pleased with you for at all times holding your head up. You helped me with stuff like that. I am pleased with watching you decide your self again up and grind and attain the head again and again and over, bro.
My favourite reminiscence of your profession is the time you invited me to Milwaukee for UFC 164, and we had been standing within the tunnel earlier than the combat and other people had been booing as a result of we had been in your opponent, Erik Koch‘s, hometown. all these folks booing and simply understanding you had been about to close all of them up, that was surreal for me. So, I thanks for that reminiscence, together with all of the others.
Yeah, I’ll miss you, the fighter. I am nonetheless going to see you, however I’ll miss the fighter.
A lot love. At all times your brother,
Thomas Webb (aka T. Webb)
Longtime good friend
‘You at all times carried your self as a champion, out and in of the cage’
Dustin,
Realizing that is your final combat is a double-edged sword. I am blissful to see you lay the gloves down after competing for thus lengthy and concentrate on being a husband, a father and issues exterior of the Octagon. However I am unhappy since you are one of the entertaining fighters to observe of all time.
I am most pleased with the best way you at all times carried your self as a champion, out and in of the cage, and at all times stayed true to your self. You might be an inspiration and an amazing position mannequin for teenagers. I am additionally pleased with you for beating McGregor’s ass … twice.
I will miss your violent fashion of combating. You do not shrink back from a superb ol’ scrap. There is a motive you may have all of these combat of the evening bonuses. When folks tune in to observe you combat, they know precisely what they are going to see: somebody who lives by the sword and dies by the sword.
I’ve a bunch of favourite reminiscences with you. Some have to remain within the circle, after all, however there was that point throughout COVID we needed to keep in our rooms and by no means did. They caught me exterior of the room playing and canceled my combat, till my supervisor had a Zoom assembly and saved it. As soon as it was saved, I pranked you and the coaches and mentioned it was nonetheless canceled. That can at all times be one in all my favorites.
Sabah Homasi
American Prime Staff teammate
‘I’ve realized loads from you’
Dustin,
I do know it is an overused line, however man, what a wild journey this has been. From Sug-Enviornment to Madison Sq. Backyard to New Iberia to Abu Dhabi!
All good issues come to an finish, and I totally assist your determination to exit on high. Me being a lot older than you, you’d assume I might be mentoring you, however I need you to know I’ve realized loads from you. Greater than you already know. Primarily about being a person, in each sense of the phrase. Karen and I shall be there on July 19, supporting you in each method we will. Trying ahead to what’s subsequent and to assembly your son quickly.
Do your factor, maintain your head excessive. You are a winner and at all times shall be.
Tim Metcalf
Longtime good friend
‘I’ve at all times admired the way you deal with your self’
Dustin,
The most important factor we would need you to know is how proud we’re of you, the particular person. You’ve gotten completed a lot for people who find themselves in lesser positions in additional methods than you’ll ever know. After I converse to folks they usually discover out you might be my brother, the primary phrases out of their mouths are concerning the particular person and character that you’re. I’ve come to imagine most fighters actually care most about whether or not folks assume they seem to be a good particular person and whether or not they make a distinction in what they’ve completed. I need you to know that I hear it about you again and again — what a superb citizen you might be to this neighborhood and household.
You had been and are the fixed competitor. You had been one hundred pc coronary heart and soul, give it all the pieces. No wanting again, no regrets. I bear in mind while you misplaced the primary combat to Conor McGregor at UFC 178 in Las Vegas, and I requested you, “Did you assume this was going to be simple?” Nothing you have ever completed or achieved has come simple. It is such as you at all times say, all the pieces you have completed has been paid in full. It is by no means been simple or by the e book.
I wish to let you know yet one more factor. After you misplaced to Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 242 in Abu Dhabi, I bear in mind asking you, “How did you provide you with the phrases that you simply used and converse so eloquently?” You’ve gotten at all times spoken with loads of composure in wins and losses. And I do know the feelings of a loss. I see it as quickly as we depart the ring. However the best way you come throughout has at all times mentioned, “I’ve an schooling.” You’ve gotten intelligence. And that intelligence goes method past something an schooling will get you. I’ve at all times admired the way you deal with your self, and I do know you are going to be nice at no matter chapter is subsequent.
Jimmy Poirier
Older brother