Dustin Poirier wanted a top-5 opponent next, but will settle for Chiesa or Pettis

Last weekend, during the UFC Fight Night 114 broadcast, former UFC lightweight champ Anthony Pettis made an interesting callout of fellow contender Dustin Poirier. It did not take Poirier long to respond.

“I’m down,” he said matter-of-factly on Twitter. 

Speaking to BJPenn.com’s Chris Taylor on Monday, Dustin Poirier explained his interest in this fight with Pettis, explaining that Pettis was simply the best option available.

“You know I was hoping for a top-five opponent,” he explained. “But if I can’t get that, then Anthony Pettis is a former champion in both WEC and UFC. The guy is a big name in the sport, so that would be a good fight as well.”

Taylor then asked Poirier if there was anyone in particular in the lightweight top-5 that he’d like to fight.

“I would love to fight Edson Barboza,” he said. “I would love to fight Kevin Lee. I would love to fight Nate Diaz. Those are all guys ranked above me, but everybody is booked or hurt. Khabib [Nurmagomedov] and Tony [Ferguson] are going to fight. Eddie [Alvarez] ran away from the rematch so now he is fighting Justin Gaethje. Then there is Barboza and Lee, but I am told they are both hurt. Lee is out until December I was told. So there is literally nobody to fight.”

“Since everybody above me is either injured or booked, I will take Michael Chiesa or Anthony Pettis. Those are fun fights. Those are the type of fights I want to be involved in.”

Poirier recently announced on social media that he would be starting fight camp next week. Taylor asked the lightweight contender if he was aiming to get on October’s UFC 216 card or possibly UFC 217, which takes place November at Madison Square Garden.

“I am heading back down to South Florida to start camp next Monday,” he said. “I think UFC 216 would be perfect. I mean I have been training out here in Louisiana, I have a private gym that I opened up here. I have a bunch of good buddies of mine who are training out here for fights, so I am already in good shape to start this camp. But when I leave Sunday, I will start camp the following day on Monday and so it will be like exactly eight weeks before [UFC 216] and that is good for me. It is perfect really.”

He continued:

“[UFC 217] is good too,” he said. “I mean Madison Square Garden is a historic place. I’d love to say that I have fought there. I am down with either event. I have a few buddies on [UFC 216], so I would like fight alongside them and prepare. But if not I will just prepare with them, watch them fight at UFC 216 and then throw down at Madison Square Garden. I am down with either date.”

Who do you want to see Dustin Poirier fight next?

This article first appeared on BJPenn.com on 8/8/2017.