Dustin Poirier Fires Back at Nate Diaz and Paddy Pimblett
Dustin Poirier’s February 2025 comments about a possible final bout were aimed at defining what he wanted for his retirement fight, not announcing a matchup with Nate Diaz or Paddy Pimblett. Poirier had said he hoped to end his career in Louisiana against a respected veteran. After Pimblett’s name surfaced as a possible opponent, Poirier dismissed that option with the phrase “Legends only.” Diaz then mocked his stance and urged him to fight Pimblett.
Poirier was discussing a potential retirement fight
The conversation followed Poirier’s June 2024 loss to lightweight champion Islam Makhachev, after which he spoke about retirement but later said he wanted one more fight. In an interview ahead of the exchange with Diaz, Poirier said he was working with the promotion on the idea of fighting in Louisiana, where he could make a final walk in front of family and local fans. He described a summer date as possible, while emphasizing that nothing had been finalized.
MMA Fighting reported that Poirier initially hoped for a third fight with Justin Gaethje, but Gaethje had already been booked to face Dan Hooker. With that option unavailable, Poirier said he and the promotion were considering other names. Pimblett was among the matchups discussed by fans, but Poirier said that was not the opponent he wanted for his last fight. He also said he did not intend to take a separate bout with Pimblett before retiring.
“Legends only” drew a response from Diaz
On February 12, Poirier posted that people were attaching their names to his plans for attention, adding that his final opponent would be “Legends Only.” Sports Illustrated’s report on the exchange cited a post from Championship Rounds that captured Poirier’s message. Diaz answered in an Instagram story by telling Poirier to fight Pimblett and saying the younger fighter was better than him. Diaz’s comment was a reaction to Poirier’s preference; it was not evidence that negotiations for a Poirier–Diaz bout were underway.
Poirier and Diaz had been linked to a possible fight years earlier, but no matchup was announced in this exchange. Pimblett was also not booked to face Poirier. The public back-and-forth was about who might be an appropriate final opponent, and Poirier said he wanted a veteran with an established résumé rather than a rising contender.
No opponent or date had been confirmed
At the time, Poirier’s proposed Louisiana sendoff remained a plan under discussion, not an official event announcement. He had expressed a preference for a final appearance at home and for an opponent with a significant record in the sport, but the identity of that opponent was unsettled. Diaz’s taunt and the social posts around Pimblett added noise to the conversation without changing its status.
The February exchange did not announce a bout or show Poirier challenging both men. He rejected Pimblett as his preferred retirement opponent, and Diaz took issue with that decision. The eventual retirement fight was a different matchup: at UFC 318 in July 2025, Poirier faced Max Holloway in New Orleans for the BMF title. Holloway won by unanimous decision in what UFC described as Poirier’s final walk to the Octagon. The official UFC 318 results confirm the result and retirement context.
