Dustin Poirier set to take on Gary Tonon in grappling match

UFC lightweight contender Dustin Poirier says that he is set to take on Brazilian jiu-jitsu star Gary Tonon in a grappling match in February.

Poirier will take on Tonon in the main event of the SubStars Jiu-Jitsu event on February 21 at The Fillmore at the Jackie Gleason Theater in Miami Beach, Florida. Also expected to compete on the card is Bellator middleweight champion Rafael Lovato Jr. when he takes on Robert “Cyborg” Abreu. The JiuJitsuTimes.com has the full card.

Poirier himself revealed on his Twitter that he will be facing off against Tonon. Here’s what Poirier wrote.

https://twitter.com/dustinpoirier/status/1223310860199829504

“My poor legz”

Ever since losing to Khabib Nurmagomedov in his bid to become the UFC lightweight champion back at UFC 242 in September, Poirier has been eager to get back inside the Octagon and compete. He has called out numerous fighters such as Conor McGregor, Justin Gaethje and Nate Diaz, but so far has not been booked against anyone. To keep busy, Poirier will step on the BJJ mats to take on Tonon, one of the most dangerous and feared grapplers in the world. It won’t be an easy match to win, but Poirier is up for the challenge.

Tonon is known as one of the best BJJ players around and will look to submit Poirier in this match. Tonon has already started to compete in mixed martial arts, having had five bouts in ONE Championship, with three of his five wins coming by submission. Tonon could potentially be a big star on the North American MMA scene if he ever chooses to make that move, but for now, he will have to settle for grappling with Poirier in a matchup that should interest MMA fans due to the cross-over appeal of it.

Do you think Dustin Poirier has a chance to beat Gary Tonon in a grappling match?

This article first appeared on BJPENN.com on 1/31/2020.