Photo: Stacy Revere/ Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC (Getty Images)
A decade-long struggle to reach the top of his profession has led Dustin Poirier to this defining moment, as he will face Max Holloway for the interim Ultimate Fighting Championship lightweight title in the UFC 236 headliner on Saturday at State Farm Arena in Atlanta. It serves as the sequel to their February 2012 encounter, which concluded with Poirier submitting the Hawaiian via triangle armbar.
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Now, the stakes are much higher. Poirier enters the rematch on the strength a three-fight winning streak. The 30-year-old American Top Team export last appeared at UFC on Fox 30, where he disposed of former lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez with second-round punches.
As Poirier makes final preparations for his showdown with Holloway, here are five things you should know about him.
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Dustin Poirier
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1. He wields some of the most dynamic offensive skills in the sport.
Poirier has delivered 19 of his 24 career victories—a staggering 79 percent of them—by knockout, technical knockout or submission. Twelve of those finishes have come inside one round, three of them of the sub-minute variety.
Photo: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC (Getty Images)
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2. His exploits carry statistical merit.
Poirier’s name can be found all over the FightMetric record book. He ranks first all-time among UFC lightweights in strike differential (2.69), second in strikes landed per minute (7.11), sixth in knockdowns landed (seven), sixth in take-down accuracy (.565), and ninth in significant strike accuracy (.502).
Photo: Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC (Getty Images)
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3. His employer likes his work.
Poirier has pocketed nine post-fight performance bonuses in his 21 appearances under the UFC banner: one for “Submission of the Night,” three for “Performance of the Night,” and five for “Fight of the Night.” Those bonuses have resulted in an additional $455,000 for his bank account.
Photo: Brandon Magnus/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC (Getty Images)
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4. Filmmakers told part of his story.
Poirier was featured in Fightville, a 2011 documentary that chronicled a group of aspiring mixed martial artists from Louisiana and their rise through the regional ranks. Los Angeles Times film critic Robert Abele painted the film in a positive light. “By the end,” he wrote, “Fightville feels authentic about this world, where success may be measured in wins but the balance of unrelenting brutality and self-discipline needed for those wins is a trickier equation.”
Photo: Carmen Mandato/Zuffa LLC (Getty Images)
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5. He is a devoted family man outside the cage.
Poirier married his wife, Jolie, in September 2009. They have one daughter, Parker Noelle, who will turn 3 years old in August.
Photo: @dustinpoirier on Instagram.
