Justin Gaethje’s recent dominant win over Paddy Pimblett has caught the eyes of many, including Dustin Poirier, who might already be eyeing a return.
Justin Gaethje delivered a dominant performance on Saturday night at UFC 324, battering Paddy Pimblett to capture the interim lightweight title. With Gaethje now expected to unify the belt against undisputed champion Ilia Topuria later this year, attention has quickly shifted to what could come next, and one familiar name has resurfaced.
Following Gaethje’s win, former UFC fighter Josh Thomson publicly called for Dustin Poirier to end his retirement and settle the score with Gaethje once and for all. Poirier didn’t shut the idea down.
“I’ll come back for that one,” Poirier wrote on Instagram, responding directly to Thomson’s call for a trilogy.
Dustin Poirier and Gaethje share one of the most compelling rivalries in UFC history. Poirier stopped Gaethje by TKO in their first meeting in 2018 after a brutal back-and-forth war. Five years later, Gaethje evened the score with a thunderous head-kick knockout in 2023, claiming the BMF title in the process.
Poirier went on to fight three more times after that loss. He officially retired from MMA in July following a defeat to Max Holloway in their trilogy bout at UFC 318, a fight that served as a Louisiana homecoming for “The Diamond.”
Despite stepping away, Poirier never hid the fact that he still felt capable of competing at the highest level. The former interim lightweight champion chased undisputed gold three times and came up short each time, most recently in a submission loss to Islam Makhachev. That reality made his decision to walk away feel final, until now.
Poirier’s career already includes legendary rivalries with Holloway and Conor McGregor, but his series with Gaethje remains unfinished. With the score tied at one win apiece, the appetite for a decisive third fight has never faded.
After Gaethje’s interim title run reignited the conversation, Poirier’s response poured fuel on the fire. Whether the comeback becomes reality remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: if Dustin Poirier returns, it won’t be for just any fight, it’ll be to close a chapter that still feels unfinished.
