Dustin Poirier says Nurmagomedov’s team reached out about title fight: “they want to fight me”

After his riveting knockout win over Justin Gaethje last Saturday in Glendale, AZ, Dustin Poirier called for a title shot opposite new UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov. From the sounds of it, he may just get his wish.

Speaking on the MMA Hour on Monday, Poirier divulged that he’d heard from Nurmagomedov’s manager, who he says broached the idea of a title fight — perhaps even in Nurmagomedov’s native Russia.

“I think it’s pretty good chances, Tony [Ferguson’s] timeline is nine months and we got to see if Conor [McGregor] comes back, maybe he doesn’t. Khabib’s manager reached out to me and told me I’m the next guy in line and they want to fight me,” Poirier said (via MMAMania), before mentioning Russia was being considered as a host country for Nurmagomedov’s firs defense.

Poirier then reiterated that he has little interest in rematches with fighters like Eddie Alvarez and McGregor.

“Like I said in my post-fight [interview], I am not after rematches and I’m not trying to get one even with Eddie,” he said. “I’m trying to be a world champion and grow my savings account for my family and secure my legacy as a UFC world champion, which is what I started fighting to be. I want to be a world champion and I want to be the best in the world.”

Since returning to the UFC lightweight division Dustin Poirier has picked up wins over Carlos Diego Ferreira, Yancy Medeiros, Joseph Duffy, Bobby Green, Jim Miller, Anthony Pettis and now Gaethje. His lone setbacks in this latest lightweight run have been a knockout loss to Michael Johnson, and a disappointing no contest with Alvarez.

How do you think Dustin Poirier would fare in a lightweight title showdown with Khabib Nurmagomedov?

This article first appeared on BJPenn.com on 4/17/2018.