Dustin Poirier is beginning to get itchy feet since his retirement from combat sports.
‘The Diamond’ carved out a memorable career for himself and was happy to walk away from fighting, win or lose, against Max Holloway at UFC 318. Just six months on from retiring to spend his energy and time elsewhere, the Louisiana fan favorite has hinted at one last dance.
Witnessing the first UFC event on Paramount, with his fellow lightweights Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett putting on a fight of the year contender, has awakened Dustin Poirier’s fighting spirit.
Poirier shared the octagon with Gaethje twice, with both men splitting knockout wins and tying their rivalry at one win apiece. Despite being on the end of a career-altering headkick knockout the last time the pair met, Poirier remains intrigued by a potential trilogy.
As the dust settled on UFC 324, MMA veteran Josh Thomson urged Poirier to reconsider his retirement. Though his decision looked final back in July 2025, Poirier has shown an interest in a return.
“I’ll come back for that one,” Poirier said in response to Thomson’s trilogy proposal.
What do we have here? 👀 😮Dustin Poirier says he'd come out of retirement to face Justin Gaethje in a trilogy bout. Thoughts? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/8kUlMDK4bn
— MMA Fighting (@MMAFighting) January 26, 2026
Justin Gaethje has set himself up for a huge matchup at the UFC White House card following his win over Paddy Pimblett on Saturday. Arguably the best in the world at doing so, Gaethje managed to force Pimblett into a dog fight, an aspect of combat where the 37-year-old is unmatched.
Related: Justin Gaethje decisions Paddy Pimblett in UFC 324 war
With his eyes set on undisputed gold in June, there is no guarantee that the reigning champion, Ilia Topuria, will be free from his personal battles that are keeping him out of competition.
Arman Tsarukyan is the obvious choice, though Dana White doesn’t often publicly endorse the Armenian. If the UFC White House is to be as promised, it needs not only big-name fighters but also fights that will deliver.
Fans will relish the chance to see Justin Gaethje vs. Dustin Poirier go at it for a third time, which would undoubtedly compete to be one of the event’s most memorable bouts.
