Justin Gaethje and Dustin Poirier paid respect to one another in a wholesome moment at UFC 291 on Saturday, speaking backstage after Gaethje knocked out his fellow American.
Gaethje won the main-event bout with a stunning head kick in the second round, avenging a 2018 loss to Poirier and claiming the ‘Baddest Motherf*****’ title.
And as Gaethje spoke to TNT Sports backstage after the fight, Poirier came over to congratulate his fellow lightweight.
“Congratulations, man,” Poirier told Gaethje, patting him on the shoulder. “Bad motherf*****. I didn’t see it, I didn’t see the kick! Congrats, man. I’m proud of you, you worked hard for this. You took it. Have a great night.”
Gaethje, 34, responded: “Thank you, man. We both are [bad motherf*****s], we both [worked hard]. That’s what we do. Let’s hang out, I’m serious.”
Poirier, also 34, replied: “I’ll whip you at ping pong,” to which Gaethje laughed: “You might! I’m pretty good, but you might.”
TNT Sports presenter McKenzie Pavacich then asked Gaethje what he was feeling after the interaction. “I feel bad,” he said. “I care about people, and I knew that I had to go in there and not care about him.
“That hurts in a way, but it’s me or him. I chose this game, I signed up for this, and so I have to go there – luckily only twice a year, usually.”
Gaethe, who suffered a TKO loss to Poirier in 2018, is positioned to fight for the UFC lightweight title next. Like Poirier, Gaethje is a former interim champion who has twice failed to become undisputed champion.
In October, Islam Makhachev defends the title against Charles Oliveira, in a rematch 12 months in the making. Russian Makhachev submitted Oliveira to win the vacant belt last year, five months after the Brazilian submitted Gaethje. Oliveira, a former champion, previously submitted Poirier in 2021.
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