Unless you were closely connected to Dustin Poirier, you might not have realized that his victorious knockout at UFC 299 represented a more significant achievement than simply completing a fight camp.
During Monday’s episode of The MMA Hour, Poirier revealed that his knockout loss to Justin Gaethje eight months earlier had plunged him into a “darkness” that raised concerns about his well-being.
“I started actually doing therapy after the [Gaethje] fight” Poirier stated.
In the interview, the Louisiana native expressed a deep connection to the struggles of former UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski, who became emotional while describing the restlessness and mental strain that led him to accept a short-notice rematch with lightweight champ Islam Makhachev. Unfortunately, Volkanovski lost the fight via a brutal head-kick knockout.
Facing a similar strike in his rematch with Gaethje, Poirier embarked on an introspective journey that prompted several significant lifestyle changes, including seeking guidance from a mental health professional.
“A lot of people helped me,” Poirier said. “My friends, my business partners here in Louisiana, but my wife, really, dude, I’m just very thankful for her. It got to the point where, and if I was in her, if I was in her position, I don’t know if I could take the stuff she’s taken. I would like to think I can, but I’m just grateful to have somebody like that [to see the things I’ve gone through], and the things I’ve put her through going through it.”
Poirier and his wife, Jolie, were high school sweethearts who married and raised a family as he pursued a career as a professional MMA fighter. The couple currently manages Poirier’s nonprofit, The Good Fight Foundation, along with other projects.
The loss to Gaethje led Poirier to experience an identity crisis, questioning whether he would continue in the fighting world. Seeking therapy played a crucial role in helping him redefine his self-perception both as a fighter and as an individual beyond his professional life.
“Because fighting was everything to me,” he said. “It was my whole life. Like I judged who I was but by fighting. It was the person I am. If I’m not the fighter Dustin, the fighter who am I? And I just kind of like tried to take a step back from that after the Gaethje loss when I was going through all this s***. And like it’s just something I do. Fighting is part of my life. It’s been a vehicle to get me and my family where I need to be to set up the foundation and help people. It’s been a vehicle to get things in the right place. But this is just something I do. Life goes on.”
In preparation for the Benoit Saint-Denis fight, Poirier adjusted his media consumption during off-hours, engaged in morning walks for mental clarity, and even limited interactions with certain family members as UFC 299 approached. These changes aimed to keep him grounded in the present moment and foster a sense of gratitude for his life.
“Maybe I’m getting old, maybe I’m being an old man,” he said. “I’m just trying to, like, experience things in a different way, because I’m so blessed, just to be in this mindset.
Poirier believes he has emerged from that challenging period and is now more optimistic about the future, regardless of how much time remains in his MMA career. Advocating for a title shot against current champion Islam Makhachev in June, he sees this opportunity as warranted, considering his recent victory and overall accomplishments.
Looking ahead, Poirier intends to maintain a therapeutic support system to ensure he keeps the right perspective on his journey.
“I’m just really grateful for the experience of life, providing for my family, every day, wake up, walk 30 minutes in my own thoughts, get away from electronics and just give gratitude, because what a journey, what a journey, man.”
“I think it’s important to like open up and talk about how you feel,” he said. “You know, we’re such in the spotlight of being tough guys all the time, but we’re people too. That’s the part of the mindset, like, Dustin the fighter. But what about, what about Dustin? What about me? … So it’s good to tap in with yourself, and check in on yourself, and be good to yourself.”
