Expect Poirier vs. Ferguson to Happen This Winter

The UFC’s lightweight division is stacked with elite fighters working towards a shot at the title. Two men on the brink of a championship opportunity are Dustin Poirier and Tony Ferguson. Despite the difficulties in getting this fight booked, many still expect to see Poirier vs. Ferguson to take place sometime in the near future.

It’s a fight that completely makes sense for the division. Most agree that the winner would be deserving of a shot at the title. Today, we’re going to talk about when this blockbuster matchup could take place.

Let’s get into it!

The UFC’s Lightweight Belt is Up for Grabs on October 24th

Nowadays, the lightweight division in the UFC is likely its most popular. The 155-pound weight class is filled with some of the biggest stars in the sport including Conor McGregor, Khabib Nurmagomedov, and Tony Ferguson. This wasn’t always the case, though.

At one point, the UFC actually removed this division from its roster. Company officials felt that not enough people cared about the lower-division weight classes. It’s clear that things have changed in a major way.

Khabib Nurmagomedov currently rules over this division with an iron fist. At 28-0, he’s one of the most dominant fighters in the history of the sport. On October 24th, Khabib will be defending his title against perhaps his toughest test to date, Justin Gaethje.

There aren’t many fighters quite as aggressive and skilled as Gaethje. He entered the UFC like a tornado, winning “fight of the night” honors in each of his first three bouts with the promotion. His reckless style ended up costing him, though, and he was forced to make some changes.

Nowadays, Justin has a slightly more calculated game. He’s still just as dangerous as ever and many feel he has the perfect skillset to give Nurmagomedov trouble. This massive lightweight title fight will take place next month and several men are hoping to take on the winner.

That includes Dustin Poirier and Tony Ferguson.

The UFC is Likely to Book Poirier vs. Ferguson Before the End of 2020

Finding consistent success in the UFC’s lightweight division is extremely challenging. The fighters at the top of this division are extraordinarily skilled and each is capable of becoming champion. Dustin Poirier and Tony Ferguson are two of the most successful fighters to ever fight in this weight class.

Poirier became the interim champion back in April of 2019. He fell short in his bid to unify the title against the aforementioned Khabib Nurmagomedov, though. Dustin bounced back from that tough loss this past June against Dan Hooker in one of the best fights of the year.

Tony Ferguson is a former interim lightweight champion in his own right. He took on Justin Gaethje this past May while riding an incredible 12-fight win streak. That streak came to an end, however, and Ferguson has promised to get back on track as soon as possible.

Rumors recently began to surface that the UFC was interested in booking Poirier vs. Ferguson in a number-one contender fight. Not long afterward, news came out that negotiations between these parties had fallen through. Many still believe this is the fight the UFC needs to make before the end of the year.

Poirier seems to feel it will happen this year, as well. You can check out his Tweet below that seems to hint the fight may take place at a later date.

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There’s always a chance just not looking like it’s going to happen next month https://t.co/y0TervpS2j

— The Diamond (@DustinPoirier) September 11, 2020

Many of MMA’s media members believed this would be the perfect co-main event to the card on October 24th. Unfortunately, that may no longer be a possibility. The UFC knows this is a fight that fans want to see and will likely push to make it happen this winter.

2021 Could Mark the Return of UFC Superstars

In many ways, 2020 was a massively successful year for the UFC. Like all other sports leagues, the promotion was shut down in March. It made history by becoming the first major sports league to resume live events in May.

Since that time, the popularity of the UFC has skyrocketed. More people around the country are watching the sport of MMA than ever before. Both UFC officials and some of the sport’s most popular fighters seem to recognize that fact.

2021 is now expected to be the year that many of the sport’s biggest superstars make their return. Rumors have surfaced that Nick Diaz plans to step back into the Octagon early next year. Some sites, like BetOnline.ag, are even offering odds on who his first opponent will be.

Conor McGregor is also expected to fight next year. His claims of “retirement” don’t hold up, as he’s remained in the USADA testing pool and still seems dedicated to training. Some believe that George St. Pierre will also return next year, perhaps against Khabib Nurmagomedov in a super-fight.

Fight fans still have some incredible events to look forward to this year, though. If all goes according to plan, we’ll get to see Poirier vs. Ferguson sometime this winter. The winner may be next in line for the lightweight title.

Which fight are you most looking forward to this year? Let us know in the comments section below!