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Dustin Poirier's title bout at UFC 302 'could be' his last fight: ‘This is my shot, I won’t get another one’
Dustin Poirier is on the back-nine of his splendid UFC career. In fact, he may be headed to the clubhouse very soon.
The 35-year-old will be the challenger for Islam Makhachev’s UFC Lightweight Championship on June 1 at UFC 302 at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.
It is Poirier’s third time fighting for an undisputed title. He lost each of the previous two.
Poirier lost to Charles Oliveira at UFC 269 by submission on Dec. 11, 2021 in Las Vegas, just over two years after Khabib Nurmagomedov won UFC 242 in the same fashion.
Dustin Poirier poses on the scale during the UFC 299 ceremonial weigh-in at Kaseya Center on March 8, 2024 in Miami. (Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
The Lafayette, Louisiana, native knows that this is his final chance to finally win a belt.
“I know this is my shot, I won’t get another one,” Porier said in a recent interview with Fox News Digital.
At the time, Porier said he would “probably retire right there” if he won a potential championship fight against Makhachev. He was unsure what would happen with a loss, and he still is.
“I want to retire from the sport – I don’t want the sport to retire me,” Poirier said to us at the time.
However, this will be his 40th professional fight, and he admits it “could be” his final fight, win or lose.
“I gotta see how I feel in there,” he says.
Well, so far, with about three weeks until fight night, he says he’s “right where I need to be.”
Dustin Poirier reacts after his victory against Benoit Saint Denis of France in a lightweight fight during the UFC 299 event at Kaseya Center on March 9, 2024 in Miami. (Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
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“We’re kind of just getting over the hump of the crazy, crazy hard work and the dangerous stuff. Now it starts to get more smoother, start focusing on weight, making sure I’m feeling good leading into fight week, firing on all cylinders, a lot of reps, a lot of technique training,” Poirier said.
The fight comes as Poirier is in the midst of a partnership with Bud Light – Poirier says it’s been roughly six weeks since he’s last had one, as he gears up for fight week, but he plans to make up for lost time in the early hours of June 2.
“Being partnered with a brand that’s in the center of the Octagon, a brand that we’ve linked to sports and America for so long, it’s just great to be on a roster with these guys,” Poirier said. “I’m a young kid from Lafayette, Louisiana chasing dreams, and I’m on the same athlete list as Peyton Manning sponsored by Bud Light. It’s crazy. But the partnership started off great. The week I got back from Miami in 299, they rolled up to my house in this huge Bud Light truck with speakers, the whole bed of the truck is an ice chest. Crazy.”
Poirier was an underdog in his fight at UFC 299 against Benoit Saint-Denis, but he came away with a huge victory. It very likely extended his career, as he had lost two of his previous three bouts.
That provided a bit of a confidence boost, but it does not sound like Poirier needed much of one.
“I’m grateful, man. I try to stay in that mindset regardless of what fight’s coming up and stuff like that. Growing up, my mindset’s changed over the years. I wake up with gratitude every day, but having this big fight on the horizon, it adds more fuel to the fire. I wake up motivated. I’ve been fighting for a long time.”
“I’m 35 years old, this is my third UFC undisputed world title shot. Like I said, man, gratitude. I’m just thankful to be in the position I’m in and to grind it out and persevere all these years to climb my way back up over and over again through these young killers in this young division. To make it to the top of the mountain and have a chance to raise my hands in the air and be the undisputed world champion, the best in the world, that’s all I’m focused on, man, just being my best at night.”
Dustin Poirier reacts after his victory against Benoit Saint Denis of France in a lightweight fight during the UFC 299 event at Kaseya Center on March 9, 2024 in Miami. (Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
He added, “I know I can beat anybody in the world. I know this guy I’m facing is pound-for-pound the number one guy. He’s on a tear, tough stylistic matchup for me… But I think my whole career has prepared me for this night. Everything happened the way it’s supposed to happen for me to get in there and fight for the world title June 1.”
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HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) — Eversource customers in Connecticut may see a double-digit rate hike next summer.
The electric company filed a letter of intent on Wednesday seeking a rate hike of about 11% across all customer classes and about 13% for residential customers. If the distribution rate is approved as proposed, it would begin on July 1, 2027.
A spokesperson for Eversource said the letter of intent details an annual operating revenue deficiency of about $503 million, not including storm costs between 2018 and 2023.
The economy, inflation, supply chain challenges and other factors increased equipment costs and materials across the utility industry, according to Eversource.
To maintain the level of “affordable reliability and resiliency” customers expect, an increased investment is needed, an Eversource spokesperson said.
Read the full letter of intent below:
The letter of intent is the first step in requesting that regulators review and adjust distribution rates to reflect the modern cost of maintaining electric systems and services.
Eversource Spokesperson Sarah Paduano’s full statement on Wednesday read:
“Today we submitted a letter of intent (LOI) to file a distribution rate review for our electric operations – the first in nearly a decade. Over the last 10 years, customers have experienced increased reliability as a direct result of our strategic investments in the electric system, and increased investment is needed to maintain the level of affordable reliability and resiliency that customers have come to expect.
The LOI is standard procedure and submitted prior to filing the actual rate review application. This is the first step in the process to request regulators review and adjust current distribution rates to better reflect the cost of maintaining the electric system and safely delivering power to customers across Connecticut. Our LOI details an operating revenue deficiency of approximately $503 million annually, which excludes 2018-2023 storm costs. If approved as proposed, the average increase would be approximately 11% across all customer classes and approximately 13% for residential customers starting July 1, 2027.
Our storm costs are currently being evaluated by PURA in a separate docket, and we are hopeful regulators will authorize securitization for those costs, which is a specialized financing method that will allow those costs to be recovered over a much longer timeframe of 20 years and at a lower interest rate compared to the traditional six year recovery. If securitization is approved, this will substantially lower bill impacts for customers and allow us to keep the full amount of storm costs from our rate review application.“
Connecticut Attorney General William Tong released the following statement Wednesday in response to the proposed rate increase:
“Connecticut families are getting crushed by unaffordable energy costs while Eversource executives crow to Wall Street over surging profits and rake in multimillion dollar bonuses. But they choose now to demand hundreds of millions of dollars more. Why? Because after years of litigation and lobbying, they finally ran their chief regulator out of town. They want a rate hike now not because they need one, but because they think they can get away with it. We’re going to scrutinize every profit, every bonus, every perk and every padded expense in their application and we’re going to be fighting for Connecticut families and small businesses at every step of this process.”
Paduano said there are no CEO, CFO, or company president salaries or variable pay included in the proposed rate request.
Consumer Counsel Claire E. Coleman also released the following statement on Wednesday on the rate filing:
“A letter of intent is the first step in the rate case process, where a company notifies regulators that it intends to seek a rate increase. Eversource will now have up to 60 days to file a full application, formally triggering what is expected to be one of the most consequential utility review proceedings in years. Once filed, OCC will aggressively scrutinize the company’s request, conduct discovery, cross examine Eversource witnesses, and present recommendations to PURA to ensure customers are not asked to pay for anything beyond the most necessary and cost-effective investments. My office will prioritize keeping costs as low as possible for consumers already struggling with affordability challenges, while promoting critical infrastructure, cybersecurity, consumer protections, and overall system reliability. Because Eversource has not undergone a rate review since 2018, this case will provide the first real opportunity in years to thoroughly examine the company’s operations, spending decisions, and priorities under a microscope. This process will also provide multiple opportunities for members of the public, community organizations, and elected officials to participate through public hearings and written comments submitted into the record. OCC strongly encourages consumers to stay engaged throughout the proceeding and to visit our website or contact our office directly for information on how to participate.”
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ELLSWORTH, Maine (WVII) — An elected Maine official is being sanctioned for alleged ethics violations.
The Ellsworth City Council held a special meeting this week to discuss Councilor Steve O’Halloran, who is accused of bullying city staff.
Councilors met in executive session to hear a report from a third-party investigator who interviewed staff members.
Other councilors indicated O’Halloran may have violated city code. Some residents, however, disagree with the accusations.
“Steve O’Halloran has listened to the people for years now, and his constant reelection is a reflection of that,” said Ellsworth resident Tiffany Gasper. “What is happening and has happened feels more like retaliation because he constantly asks the tough questions.”
The report has not been made available to the public.
The meeting concluded with the council voting 5-1-1 to censure O’Halloran, with Councilor Patrick Shea voting against the measure and O’Halloran abstaining.
(WJAR) — Massachusetts’ housing market is becoming so competitive, even homes destroyed by fire are attracting strong interest from buyers.
In Dorchester, a burned and condemned multi-family property recently sold in days.
Damaged homes in Massachusetts still have a competitive market. (NECN)
That Dorchester home, which had significant fire damage, sold for $776,000.
The home has been boarded up and empty for over a year and a half.
The listing agent says groups of people were quote “waiting in the wings” to see what would happen with it.
In a tight housing market like Boston’s, these types of properties offer rare opportunities for investors that are eager to take on major renovation projects.
It showcases a broader trend where even severely damaged homes can attract serious interest in the greater Boston housing market.
For developers, the limited land, strong demand, and potential to build equity are all very appealing.
The properties show even after a disaster, there’s still demand in the market.
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