Dustin Poirier aims to check final career box: UFC 269 title fight is '25 minutes for eternity'

LAS VEGAS – Dustin Poirier has achieved everything he wants in MMA competition except for one thing: being the undisputed UFC lightweight champion.

Poirier (28-6 MMA, 20-5 UFC) gets the opportunity to tick that final box on his resume Saturday when he challenges champ Charles Oliveira (31-8 MMA, 19-8 UFC) in the UFC 269 headliner at the UFC Apex.

The journey for Poirier has been a long one. He’ll step into the octagon for the 29th time at UFC 269, and the road to that point has consisted of many ups and downs. He captured the interim title before, as well, but never got his hands on the undisputed strap. He intends to change that and make his career come full circle.

“If I can become the world champion Saturday night, I’ve done everything I set out to do,” Poirier told MMA Junkie on Wednesday at UFC 269 media day. “I’ve set my family up. We’re in a good position financially. I have other businesses. I have to check that box. That’s forever. I was saying 25 minutes to make life fair. This is 25 minutes for eternity, 25 until eternity. That’s what this is. You don’t take that away.

“Once a champion, always a champion. It’s very important for me and my wife. It just cements everything that we’ve done.”

Poirier knows the task at hand won’t be easy. Oliveira is riding a nine-fight winning streak and currently holds UFC records for the most finishes and submissions, and the Brazilian is looking more dangerous than ever.

There’s no secrets about the threat Oliveira brings to the table, and Poirier said he’s prepared accordingly. He respects what Oliveira has done to reach this point of his career, but Poirier intends to take it away.

“There’s a list of guys when they won the belt it was very special,” Poirier said. “(Michael) Bisping is on that list. Robbie Lawler is on that list. Underdogs. The guys – of course everyone is fighting against adversity, but the guys who were counted out and made it happen. I’m trying to add my name to that list. That’s the goal this weekend.

“When you’re talking about dangers in mixed martial arts, he’s as dangerous as all the other guys I’ve fought. Obviously the submission game, numbers don’t lie. He’s the most dangerous ever to hit the canvas in the UFC.”