Dustin Poirier discusses his legacy

Some fighters are never the same after a fight. Rory MacDonald went into the Robbie Lawler rematch with an 18-2 record.; one of the two losses was to Lawler himself. Their second meeting was fight of the night, year, and decade. But MacDonald has gone 3-3-1 since. The Majority Draw was with Jon Fitch. Rory MacDonald is not the same.

Dustin Poirier beat Dan Hooker in the main event of UFC on ESPN 12 on June 27. It was the fight of the night, and fight of the year candidate so far. After the fight, Poirier said he wasn’t sure how much longer he wanted to fight, because I don’t want to love this so much that it kills me.

It’s been a few weeks now, and during an appearance on The Jim Rome Show, Poirier has a clearer understanding of how much longer he wants to fight, and what he wants it to mean.

I’ve been fighting for a while, I have 40 fights, and I want these last four or five years to really mean something every time I get into the Octagon, said Poirier. Not only for me and my family, but for the goals that I’m trying to bring awareness to and raise money for and for my career. I really want to leave a legacy.

I’m not sure what the options will be when the UFC comes back and starts sitting at the table to make these matches. It needs to be a really big name or a title fight. I’ve been doing this for 10 years in the UFC, and I still love fighting, but I want these fights to mean more than just a fight. I don’t want it to just be about a show and win purse. I want it to really mean something, and I know I’m in the back nine of my career.

Most fighters want to leave a legacy of blood and guts, bravery and towering ability. Dustin Poirier’s legacy may be charity. Earlier this year he was the recipient of the UFC’s inaugural Forrest Griffin Community Award, for his work through The Good Fight Foundation.

It puts fighting into perspective, said Poirier. It’s just something I do, something I do very well, but it’s just part of my life. Whenever fighting stops, I’m still going to be a father and I’m still gonna be the president of The Good Fight Foundation and I’m still going to be a husband. Realizing that and growing up in the sport and being more mature now lets me put it that way and lets me think of it that way. I enjoy it. I love fighting. But it’s gonna stop one day and these other things will not. So I’m just enjoying the ride of everything.

Dustin and his wife, Jolie, established The Good Fight Foundation in April of 2018, with the mission of helping those in need and fighting to change the world by doing positive things in the community.

The Poiriers have launched a series of initiatives for those in need throughout their hometown of Lafayette and neighboring Acadiana, Louisiana. These programs include annual Thanksgiving food drives, back to school campaigns, and fundraisers to help purchase necessity kits for hundreds of women experiencing homelessness, as well as furniture for local shelters.

Dustin has also utilized his fight-worn UFC Fight Kits, auctioning off his apparel to raise donations for families of fallen law enforcement officers, and building a local playground for Aaron Hill, a terminally ill seven-year-old diagnosed with a genetic brain disorder, who requested to have a special needs playground built for his friends who attend Prairie Elementary School in Lafayette, Lousiana.

In May 2019, Poirer was awarded with the key to the city of Lafayette by Mayor Joel Robideaux for his work with The Good Fight Foundation and his contributions to the community.

Following his fight in September 2019 against UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov in Abu Dhabi, “The Eagle” and Poirier each raffled off their fight-worn UFC Legacy Series Walkout Jerseys, raising more than $100,000 with a direct match from UFC, totaling $200,000 donated directly to the foundation.

The funds generated from the global auction helped purchase hundreds of car seats, which were donated to the Women’s and Children’s Hospital of Lafayette. Later that year, Poirier and his foundation also partnered with former UFC heavyweight Justin Wren’s Fight For The Forgotten organization. As part of this joint partnership, Poirier and Wren were able to use the funds raised and the platform to combat the water crisis in Uganda. During the campaign, they exceeded their fundraising goal of purchasing new water wells, and also secured 43.21 acres of land and a solar-powered well to create a more self-sustainable living environment for the Batwa Pygmy people.

This year, Dustin and his team have stayed active in the community with relief efforts associated with COVID-19 by donating more than 1,000 meals to frontline healthcare workers at local hospitals and clinics.

That’s an extraordinary legacy, and he’s only begun.

h/t Jed Meshew for MMA Fighting