UFC: Dustin Poirier says Conor McGregor loss helped his ‘evolution’, while Khabib Nurmagomedov loss taught him ‘defensive responsibility’

‘The Diamond’ says he stopped caring ‘about the noise’ after McGregor TKO in 2014

Poirier, who beat Dan Hooker last week, ‘knows’ he can beat lightweight champion Khabib in a rematch

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UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov tries to submit Dustin Poirier during their title fight at UFC 242 in Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, in September 2019. Photo: Reuters

Published: 7:00pm, 3 Jul 2020Updated: 7:00pm, 3 Jul 2020

Dustin Poirier says his loss to Conor McGregor six years ago was the start of his “evolution” to becoming comfortable in his own skin.

The 31-year-old American (26-6, one no contest), who beat Dan Hooker via unanimous decision at UFC Vegas 4 last week, lost to Irish MMA star McGregor (22-4) via a first-round TKO in 2014.

“It definitely happened after the Conor McGregor loss, that was the start of it,” Poirier told ESPN. “It’s been a long process – being a father, and losing again, and winning some and losing again – it’s just a long evolution of stop caring so much, stop caring about the noise and stuff that doesn't matter.

“A lot of times in my younger career, I felt like every comment on Instagram or Twitter was life or death. Every journalist who said something, I felt like everybody was against me. If I lost I would be written off, it was the end of my career. ‘I’m a bum if I lose this fight’. Then you lose a few times and realise I can still put this back together,” said “The Diamond” Poirier, adding that climbing back up “made me the man I am today”.

Poirier has since only lost to contender Michael Johnson and champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, the latter an unsuccessful third-round rear-naked choke title fight at UFC 242 last year.