Poirier rises after high-profile win
Dustin Poirier had a pretty good weekend. He defeated Conor McGregor for the second time in six months in Saturday’s UFC 264 main event in Las Vegas, and beyond the big boost to his bank account that came with a night in the cage with MMA’s biggest star, Poirier also secured the lightweight title shot he had put at risk by opting to complete the McGregor trilogy.
UFC president Dana White said at the post-fight press conference at T-Mobile Arena that Poirier will be the first challenger to new 155-pound champion Charles Oliveira. No date was announced.
In the wake of Saturday’s victory, which was the seventh win and fifth finish in his last eight fights, Poirier moves up to the top five in ESPN’s latest men’s pound-for-pound rankings. Poirier is ranked above Oliveira, who won the belt in May.
Poirier’s move up knocks down a pair of champions, featherweight Alexander Volkanovski and light heavyweight Jan Blachowicz, each one spot.
The women’s top 10 remains largely the same, aside from strawweight champion Rose Namajunas moving up one spot in a tie with Bellator featherweight champion Cris Cyborg. That change came about due to the addition of a new voter to the panel.
ESPN MEN’S POUND-FOR-POUND RANKINGS
- Kamaru Usman
Record: 19-1
Weight: Welterweight
Last fight: G (KO2) Jorge Masvidal April 24
Next fight: TBD
- Jon Jones
Record: 26-1, 1 NC
Weight: Light heavyweight/announced move to heavyweight
Last fight: G (DU) Dominick Reyes, Feb. 8
Next fight: TBD
- Israel Adesanya
Record: 21-1
Weight: Middleweight
Last Fight: G (DU) Marvin Vettori, June 12th
Next fight: TBD
- Francis Ngannou
Record: 16-3
Weight: Full
Last Fight: G (KO2) Stipe Miocic, March 27th
Next fight: TBD
- Dustin Poirier
Record: 28-6, 1 NC
Weight: Lightweight
Last fight: G (TKO1) Conor McGregor, July 10th
Next Fight: TBD vs. Charles Oliveira
