“I wouldn’t change anything,” Dustin Poirier said about a week ago, addressing his then-impending retirement. He did everything he could to become the undisputed UFC lightweight champion throughout the years, but the belt always evaded him. Yet none of that means he has regrets. The wins, the losses, and his tough fight for the title he never got. That is his story, and he is proud of it! However, his fans can’t help but wonder what could have been…

After all, he was one of the most consistent fighters in the division for the past decade, and he stayed at the top of the food chain for a long, long time. With significant victories against names like Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler, he retired as one of MMA’s most beloved competitors. But in the aftermath of his farewell, a long-running dispute has resurfaced online. And this time, fans are blaming UFC CEO Dana White. The dispute revolves around UFC 257 in January 2021, when Dustin Poirier defeated Conor McGregor in a high-stakes rematch.

Here’s the thing: Khabib Nurmagomedov had already vacated the title owing to his retirement in October 2020, following his win over Justin Gaethje. However, the UFC did not recognize it until months later. As a result of the delay, Poirier’s victory over McGregor was framed as a contender contest rather than a championship one.

For fans of ‘The Diamond,’ this wasn’t just bad timing; it was a deliberate move that prevented Poirier from becoming the undisputed lightweight champion. A viral Instagram post summed up the sentiment: “Khabib retired in Oct 2020. UFC wouldn’t recognize it until March 2021. Dustin Poirier should have been undisputed champion when he beat McGregor. Dana’s hypocrisy stole a title from him.”

Fighters such as Israel Adesanya voiced their support at the time, referring to Dustin Poirier as the actual lightweight king who cleared the division except for Nurmagomedov. Now that his career is officially over, Poirier’s legacy lives on, but with a notable asterisk.

‘The Diamond’ departs with the fourth-most post-fight bonuses in UFC history (15), and he also tied for the fifth-most finishes in UFC history (15) as well as the most finishes of current/former/future UFC champions (6). However, for many, the wasted opportunity at UFC 257 still stings. But can we completely blame Dana White and believe that the opportunity was stolen from Poirier by the UFC’s politics? Well, several neutral fans believe otherwise.

Fans come out to defend Dana White from Dustin Poirier fans

While some believe Dana White robbed Dustin Poirier of his rightful title crowning in 2021, others have pushed back just as strongly. After fans reignited the debate following Poirier’s retirement, a second wave of voices emerged. But this time, it was not to criticize Dana White but to highlight Poirier’s decisions and missed opportunities. They argued that the UFC did not deny him gold; rather, Poirier chose the $1,000,000 payday over the prize. One user commented, “He was offered to fight for the title and declined to earn more money against Conor.”

Others agreed, stating, “That was his shot for the belt, but he chose money,” and, “He just chose money over a title fight.” In their opinion, Poirier preferred a blockbuster trilogy against McGregor rather than waiting for the vacant belt to be officially declared. To them, that was a business decision, not UFC sabotage.

Also, let us not forget that Poirier became the interim champion in 2019 after he defeated Max Holloway (UFC 236). His journey to the interim title was eight years long, but he eventually lost his next fight against Nurmagomedov.

Meanwhile, another group focused on the big picture rather than a single missed shot. “He had multiple title fights and lost them all,” one person stated. Others pointed out that Poirier was “0-3 in title fights, including the BMF belt.” Despite the backlash, Dana White was not completely exonerated. A few fans took aim at the UFC CEO, citing his favoritism: “If Dana wasn’t such a baby, this fight would’ve been for the belt.”

Can the UFC be blamed for Poirier retiring without having won an undisputed title? Let us know in the comments.