Dustin Poirier’s arrest post-retirement shouldn’t define him, says ex-UFC star Matt Brown: “He recognized the problem”

Dustin Poirier continues to get support from his peers, and Matt Brown is the latest name to give “The Diamond” some encouragement.

Poirier is a beloved MMA figure who retired following his UFC 318 loss to Max Holloway back in July 2025. While “The Diamond” is involved in charity work, runs his own hot sauce business, and serves as a UFC analyst, he has admitted that he’s having a difficult time transitioning after hanging up his gloves.

The most trying time of Poirier’s post-fight run occurred when he was arrested for public intoxication. Bodycam footage revealed Poirier threatened to fight a police officer in an airport after getting kicked off a flight for berating attendants.

During the latest edition of MMAFighting‘s “The Fighter vs. The Writer,” Brown shared his belief that Poirier is mentally fine after admitting he has an issue with alcohol abuse. “The Immortal” also refuses to judge “The Diamond” based on one incident.

“Dustin is in the public eye and he’s known as a good guy so we see that and it’s just so out of character for him,” Brown said. “So we start questioning what his mental health is? I think he’s perfectly fine. He recognized the problem, said ‘I need help.’ What’s that saying in [Alcoholics Anonymous]? Acceptance is the first step or whatever. He accepts it. He knows where he’s at. He’s going to be fine. I don’t think this is a big story. I don’t think it’s a big problem. To me, that does not define Dustin Poirier. I know who I believe Dustin Poirier is, and I don’t think that person is gone. I think he’s still a good dude. I think he’s an intelligent enough guy. We hear him speaking. He’s not punch drunk or anything. He had a f*cking bad night. Airports f*cking suck anyway.”

If Poirier is convicted of a misdemeanor charge, he could face up to one year in prison and/or fines. Many others within the MMA community, such as Jon Jones, Daniel Cormier, and Drew Dober have showed their support for the former interim UFC Lightweight Champion.

Do you agree with Matt Brown on Dustin Poirier’s recent arrest not being a big deal? Sound off in the comments below.