Charles Oliveira And Dustin Poirier Faceoff Ahead Of UFC 269
UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira and top contender Dustin Poirier squared off and came face-to-face at the UFC 269 presser.
This came just days before the two top UFC lightweights battle in the octagon in the UFC 269 main event.
Oliveira earned the then-vacant title against Michael Chandler at UFC 262. After early struggles in his career at featherweight, he’s found a true home at lightweight and is currently on a nine-fight winning streak.
Poirier comes into the fight after back-to-back wins over UFC star Conor McGregor. Poirier was originally expected to face Oliveira earlier this year but opted to take the trilogy fight with McGregor instead.
Check out Oliveira and Poirier’s press conference faceoff below. They were joined by the rest of the UFC 269 main card.
Charles Oliveira Are Arguably Two Of The Best Stories Of 2021
It hasn’t always been easy in Oliveira’s time with the UFC. Before ultimately getting the knockout over Chandler, he had been beaten badly in the first round and nearly succumbed to a finish. But, he was able to gather himself and dominate in the second round.
Before moving to lightweight, Oliveira had a widely-documented series of struggles making weight and performing on Fight Night. He lost to top featherweights such as Max Holloway, Anthony Pettis, and Ricardo Lamas on his way up to lightweight.
This is Poirier’s second shot at the lightweight title after falling to Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 242. Before that, he had earned the interim title over Holloway.
The winner of the Poirier vs. Oliveira matchup will help reign in a new era at 155 pounds in the UFC. With Justin Gaethje waiting in the wings for the next title shot, the winner will not only earn the lightweight belt but credit amongst the entirety of the MMA community.
What is your prediction for Charles Oliveira vs. Dustin Poirier?
