Dustin Poirier comeback rumors have ATT peers split

Dustin Poirier getting the urge to return from retirement has been bouncing around the rumor mill lately and some of his American Top Team compatriots have weighed in. When speaking to former Bellator MMA champ and PFL standout Johnny Eblen, the elite middleweight touched on the rumors centred on reports out there regarding Poirier previously pitching a Nate Diaz Zuffa Boxing fight to some of the TKO brass.

In terms of if he thinks ‘The Diamond’ may don the bigger gloves and step into the boxing ring after retiring from mixed martial arts last Summer in a trilogy bout with Max Holloway at UFC 318, Eblen said [via Bowks Talking Bouts],

“I think so. When you’re a fighter like that, man, especially Dustin, such a game guy and you get paid enough to do it, I think that competitiveness is always there. It’s hard to get it out of a person. I think retirement always, it makes you want to dip your toe back in. I think if the right name pops up and the money makes sense, I could see Dustin coming back and getting into some boxing.”

Does Dustin Poirier return?, “The warrior spirit’s with us forever” says American Top Team comrade

The Dustin Poirier boxing rumblings were also touched on by another ATT peer as well as fellow PFL contracted fighter, Josh Silveira. Responding to the same discourse out there around Poirier reportedly pitching a Zuffa Boxing bout against Nate Diaz to the promotion’s higher ups and asking if he thinks we see the former interim UFC lightweight champ return to compete in combat sports, Silveira stated [via Bowks Talking Bouts],

“I mean, I’m not sure, I don’t think he needs to. I think he’s happy. He’s a family guy. But you never know, man. The warrior spirit’s with us forever. You got Evander Holyfield taking fights a couple years back at 60 something years old. So, you never know. You never know what could happen. But, would I love to see him fight? Yeah.”

“But only if he wanted to, but I don’t think he needs to, to be honest. I think he’s chilling. I think he’s happy with what he’s done. He’s doing the broadcast stuff a little bit. So, I’ve known him, man. He’s [had] a lot of fights, a lot of battles, a lot of toe-to-toe, knuckle-to-knuckle action. So, I don’t know; maybe. I guess time will tell.”