Dustin Poirier (photo via UFC / YouTube)

By FCF Staff

Dustin Poirier hasn’t shot down the possibility of competing in a welterweight fight. But, it doesn’t sound like the former interim lightweight champ plans to make a run at 170 pounds.

Since Poirier’s stoppage loss to Justin Gaethje at UFC 291 last weekend, there’s been a lot of talk about what’s next for the renowned fighter. Some of that discussion has been around whether Poirier should consider competing at welterweight.

But, while appearing on “The MMA Hour” recently, the 34-year-old had this to say about moving up a weight class (quotes via MMA Fighting).

“That’s another thing. Of course I could make 170 because I walk around heavier than 170, but everybody thinks I’m a f****** huge lightweight. Trust me, I’m on the mats at American Top Team with a handful of other fighters at 155 pounds who weigh more than me on a normal basis,” Poirier said. “Out of camp, here in Louisiana, if I’m training a couple times a week, I’m high 170s. I’m waking up 178. That’s not big. To the average person that might seem like a lot, but in this day and age, lightweights in the UFC, that’s not heavy. I think people anchor on to when I was cutting to 145 and I said I got up to 190 a few times. I haven’t seen 190s in six, seven years, however long I’ve been at lightweight.”

During the interview, Poirier also expressed an interest in fighting Nate Diaz, if the latter returns to the UFC. The two were expected to fight in 2018, but the fight ultimately never occurred.

Diaz, who has said he could return to the UFC,  is scheduled to box Jake Paul this Saturday.