Dustin Poirier responds to reports of Eddie Alvarez rematch: I want that title shot

Earlier this week, reports surfaced that the UFC’s July 28 return to Calgary, Alberta, Canada could be topped by a rematch between surging lightweight contender Dustin Poirier and former champion Eddie Alvarez.

Shortly after the reports of this rematch surfaced, Eddie Alvarez assured Ariel Helwani that the fight is “not fucking happening” and that he won’t be fighting until the UFC offers him a new contract first.

Spoke to @Ealvarezfight today. Asked him about the possibility of fighting Dustin Poirier in Calgary on 7/28. “It’s not f*cking happening,” he said. “I’m not fighting until I get a new deal.” Alvarez currently has one fight left on his deal. Also …

— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) May 2, 2018

Apparently, Poirier is on a similar page. While Alvarez wants a new contract, Poirier wants the fight with undefeated UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov that he feels he’s earned.

I want that Title Shot.

— The Diamond (@DustinPoirier) May 2, 2018

“I want that title shot,” Poirier said in a Tuesday Tweet that seemed to be in response to the buzz of an Alvarez rematch.

Despite the recent Poirier-Alvarez rematch talk, it’s worth noting that Poirier recently claimed he’d been in contact with Nurmagomedov’s team with respect to a potential title fight

“Khabib’s manager reached out to me and told me I’m the next guy in line and they want to fight me,” Poirier said on a recent episode of The MMA Hour.

Poirier and Alvarez first met in May of 2017, on the undercard of UFC 211. On that night, the pair battled to a disappointing no-contest, as Alvarez landed an illegal strike in the second frame, and Poirier could not continue. In his next fight, Alvarez became the first man to defeat former World Series of Fighting champion Justin Gaethje, putting the then-undefeated fighter down with a third-round knee. Poirier, meanwhile, has rebounded from his unfortunate fight with Alvarez with a TKO of former champion Anthony Pettis, and his own knockout win over Justin Gaethje.

Suffice it to say that, while nothing is certain just yet, it’s looking less and less likely that Eddie Alvarez and Dustin Poirier partake in their anticipated rematch in Calgary this summer. What do you think is next for both men?

This article first appeared on BJPenn.com on 5/2/2018.