Henry Cejudo has questions about Dustin Poirier’s pound-for-pound credentials.
According to the UFC’s rankings, Poirier is currently the No. 8 pound-for-pound fighter in the world, ahead of divisional champions like Deiveson Figueiredo and Jiri Prochazka, and former champions like Jon Jones, Petr Yan, Brandon Moreno, Max Holloway, and Robert Whittaker, and Cejudo is not a fan of placing him so highly in the pound-for-pound conversation.
“[Michael] Chandler doesn’t have a gold. Neither does Poirier,” Cejudo said, answering questions on his YouTube channel. “I don’t know why Poirier is pound-for-pound. I really don’t. If I was a champion and I had a belt, with all due respect to Poirier, there is no way you can put guys that have been knocked out and submitted and all that on the pound-for-pound list.”
Poirier is currently the No. 2-ranked lightweight in the world, behind only former champion Charles Oliveira, however, his recent run of fights hasn’t quite been the high-level wins many expect of a pound-for-pound fighter. Most recently, “The Diamond” lost to Oliveira, and before that, won back-to-back fights over Conor McGregor, who himself has one win in the past six years (a TKO of Donald Cerrone in 2020). Still, throwing shade at a highly respected fighter like Poirier seems a bit out of left field, and Cejudo later clarified his comments on social media, saying his feelings are more to do with Poirier being above some of his friends.
Didn’t mean any disrespect to @DustinPoirier but he’s ahead of two champions I had the chance to train with (Figgy & Jiri). The voters for these rankings suck, not Poirier! We should rank all these crotch sniffer analysts and see how they like it! https://t.co/H2BD1AIwSg
— Henry Cejudo (@HenryCejudo) October 5, 2022
“Didn’t mean any disrespect to [Poirier] but he’s ahead of two champions I had the chance to train with (Figgy & Jiri). The voters for these rankings suck, not Poirier! We should rank all these crotch sniffer analysts and see how they like it!”
Poirier will have his chance to prove Cejudo wrong in just a few months. “The Diamond” faces Michael Chandler in a featured lightweight bout at UFC 281 on Nov. 12 at Madison Square Garden.
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This is a tough one. I think bo could out wrestle him but I don’t know about in mma and khamzats Striking is still levels above bo. I think. Good line if you ask me and solid bet either way https://t.co/LJbymGfyxz
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Mark Madsen (12-0) vs. Drakkar Klose (13-2-1); UFC Vegas 62, Oct. 29.
Chase Sherman (16-10) vs. Josh Parisian (15-5); UFC Fight Night, Nov. 5.
Stephen Thompson (16-6-1) vs. Kevin Holland (23-8, 1 NC); UFC Orlando, Dec. 3.
Yazmin Jauregui (9-0) vs. Istela Nunes (6-3); UFC Orlando, Dec. 3.
Vinicius Salvador (14-4) vs. Daniel Da Silva (11-4); UFC 282, Dec. 10.
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Mamed Khalidov (36-8-2) vs. Mariusz Pudzianowski (17-7, 1 NC); KSW 77, Dec. 17.
Mauricio Rua (27-13-1) vs. Ihor Potieria (18-3); UFC 283, Jan. 21.
FINAL THOUGHTS
For what it’s worth, the MMA Fighting Global Pound-For-Pound Rankings currently have Poirier at No. 14, still ahead of Figgy Smalls, but behind Jiri.
Thanks for reading! See y’all tomorrow.
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