Until you had been carefully linked to Dustin Poirier, you won’t have realized that his victorious knockout at UFC 299 represented a extra important achievement than merely finishing a struggle camp.
Throughout Monday’s episode of The MMA Hour, Poirier revealed that his knockout loss to Justin Gaethje eight months earlier had plunged him right into a “darkness” that raised issues about his well-being.Â
“I began really doing remedy after the [Gaethje] struggle” Poirier said.
Within the interview, the Louisiana native expressed a deep connection to the struggles of former UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski, who grew to become emotional whereas describing the restlessness and psychological pressure that led him to just accept a short-notice rematch with light-weight champ Islam Makhachev. Sadly, Volkanovski misplaced the struggle through a brutal head-kick knockout.
Going through an analogous strike in his rematch with Gaethje, Poirier launched into an introspective journey that prompted a number of important life-style adjustments, together with in search of steering from a psychological well being skilled.
“Lots of people helped me,” Poirier mentioned. “My associates, my enterprise companions right here in Louisiana, however my spouse, actually, dude, I’m simply very grateful for her. It obtained to the purpose the place, and if I used to be in her, if I used to be in her place, I don’t know if I might take the stuff she’s taken. I wish to assume I can, however I’m simply grateful to have any person like that [to see the things I’ve gone through], and the issues I’ve put her by going by it.”
Poirier and his spouse, Jolie, had been highschool sweethearts who married and raised a household as he pursued a profession as an expert MMA fighter. The couple at the moment manages Poirier’s nonprofit, The Good Struggle Basis, together with different tasks.
The loss to Gaethje led Poirier to expertise an identification disaster, questioning whether or not he would proceed within the preventing world. In search of remedy performed an important function in serving to him redefine his self-perception each as a fighter and as a person past his skilled life.
“As a result of preventing was every part to me,” he mentioned. “It was my complete life. Like I judged who I used to be however by preventing. It was the particular person I’m. If I’m not the fighter Dustin, the fighter who am I? And I simply type of like tried to take a step again from that after the Gaethje loss once I was going by all this s***. And prefer it’s simply one thing I do. Preventing is a part of my life. It’s been a automobile to get me and my household the place I have to be to arrange the muse and assist folks. It’s been a automobile to get issues in the precise place. However that is simply one thing I do. Life goes on.”
In preparation for the Benoit Saint-Denis struggle, Poirier adjusted his media consumption throughout off-hours, engaged in morning walks for psychological readability, and even restricted interactions with sure members of the family as UFC 299 approached. These adjustments aimed to maintain him grounded within the current second and foster a way of gratitude for his life.
“Perhaps I’m getting outdated, perhaps I’m being an outdated man,” he mentioned. “I’m simply making an attempt to, like, expertise issues otherwise, as a result of I’m so blessed, simply to be on this mindset.
Poirier believes he has emerged from that difficult interval and is now extra optimistic concerning the future, no matter how a lot time stays in his MMA profession. Advocating for a title shot towards present champion Islam Makhachev in June, he sees this chance as warranted, contemplating his current victory and general accomplishments.
Wanting forward, Poirier intends to take care of a therapeutic help system to make sure he retains the precise perspective on his journey.
“I’m simply actually grateful for the expertise of life, offering for my household, daily, get up, stroll half-hour in my very own ideas, get away from electronics and simply give gratitude, as a result of what a journey, what a journey, man.”
“I feel it’s necessary to love open up and speak about how you’re feeling,” he mentioned. “You recognize, we’re such within the highlight of being robust guys on a regular basis, however we’re folks too. That’s the a part of the mindset, like, Dustin the fighter. However what about, what about Dustin? What about me? … So it’s good to faucet in with your self, and examine in on your self, and be good to your self.”
