Dustin Poirier (photo via UFC / YouTube)

By FCF Staff

Dustin Poirier ensured he remained in the title shot mix by defeating Dan Hooker last weekend, and his longtime coach Mike Brown believes we could see an even better fighter moving forward.

Poirier faced Hooker in the main event of UFC Vegas 4, and the former lightweight interim champ battled his way to a decision win. The fight marked the first time Poirier had fought since last September, when he was submitted by champion Khabib Nurmagomedov.

It was also the first time Poirier had fought since he underwent hip surgery last fall.

Since the thrilling fight took place, Brown spoke with MMA Fighting. While heaping praise on Poirier, the American Top Team coach noted his kicking game could be unleashed.

“Maybe the most natural talent of anybody I’ve ever met,” Brown said about Poirier. “He’s up there. Amazing conditioning, strong mind, strong will and also power. Punching power and also kicking power. He kicks like a mule. Something he hasn’t used a ton because he had a hip problem, he just had a hip surgery before this one to clean some stuff up and hopefully allow him to use it a little bit more.

“He started to [use it]. It was good to see him using that leg more, going to the body. I don’t know what it looked like on camera but live it was hard. He was slinging that thing into his body, just smashing into the organs and that’s going to take the life out of you. That’s going to take that gas meter down pretty quick.”

With the win, the 31-year-old Poirier’s record now stands at 26-6, with 1 no-contest.