Dustin Poirier grew up in the rough neighborhood of Lafayette, Louisiana. He was just five years old when his parents split up, and his mother took care of him along with his two siblings. Football and wrestling were the two things that he focused on, even if it meant that he missed a few classes. However, he found himself in street fights for which the consequences weren’t too far away for him.

Now, ‘The Diamond’ is looked at as a disciplined fighter with a strong work ethic. With mixed martial arts as his purpose, he walked through the gritty path to become a celebrated fighter in the UFC. But did the discipline and resilience come from a rumor of him serving in the armed forces? 

Did Dustin Poirier Ever Serve in the Military?

Long story short, Dustin Poirier was never a part of the military. But he did spend about three months at a military-style boot camp. That came as a punishment for Poirier’s involvement in street fights. When he was in middle school, he’d deliberately miss school to pursue wrestling and football, and yes, he get into regular scraps on the streets as well. So, his mother, Jere Chiasson, got a mediator’s help and enrolled ‘The Diamond’ in a program that would put the young Poirier in a juvenile center if he went on to miss classes. But in the end, he ended up dropping out of school. 

During an interview on The Real, the former interim lightweight champion said, “I honestly never graduated eighth grade. I got expelled in eighth grade, and then I got put in an alternative school to jump me back to my ninth grade. And then I did a lot of my ninth grade in juvenile detention and in boot camp.. When I got out of that, I just never went back to school.”

Unfortunately, the boot camp and detention didn’t really help ‘The Diamond’. He said, “I definitely think fighting has opened the path to redemption for me. I mean I’ve tried; I’ve been in boot camp and juvenile detentions and programs and all this stuff that’s supposed to help you.. And I mean that didn’t help, you know, but when I found something that I wanted, I really was gonna chase it no matter what roadblock was in front of me.. I would go and get it..”

Most people make the mistake of thinking that Dustin Poirier spent some of his years serving in the armed forces. But what’s the reason behind such speculation? Let’s find out!

Why Do Fans Think Dustin Poirier Has a Military Background?

Most fans believe that Poirier has a military background because of his involvement in the military boot camp. But in reality, it was simply a way of disciplining him. But it’s his habit of helping the families of veterans, police officers, and first responders that made many more fans believe that he was previously a part of the armed forces. 

Poirier auctioned his fight kit from UFC Fight Night 120, and sent the proceeds to the family of Corporal Michael Middlebrook, a veteran police officer from Lafayette who was shot and killed in action. Through his charity, ‘The Good Fight Foundation’, Poirier and his wife, Jolie, have stayed on the mission of helping those in need and serving the community, especially the families of fallen heroes. For this, he even became the first-ever winner of the Forrest Griffin Community Award. 

Now, the ever-disciplined Dustin Poirier is gearing up for what could be his final showdown — a clash with Max Holloway at UFC 318. With two wins already over ‘Blessed’, Poirier is aiming for a clean sweep before calling it a career. But whether he gets that storybook ending is something only Saturday night will reveal. As he prepares for his last dance, tell us — did you ever think Poirier served in the military?