The Louisiana native, also 32, has gone 20-5 in the Octagon, defeating a staggering list of former champions and title challengers at featherweight and lightweight, including Eddie Alvarez, Anthony Pettis, Justin Gaethje, Max Holloway, and Conor McGregor, whom he defeated by stoppage twice this year. Poirier, who previously held the interim lightweight title, has been a pro since 2009 and made it the UFC a year after Oliveira, in 2011. His most important win occurred in the main event of UFC 262 this past May, when he knocked out Michael Chandler to capture the vacant lightweight championship.
The Brazilian reached the UFC in 2010 and has gone 19-8 across the featherweight and lightweight divisions in the time since, defeating the likes of Hatsu Hioki, Jeremy Stephens, Myles Jury, Clay Guida, Jim Miller, Kevin Lee and Tony Ferguson. The 32-year old Oliveira's 39-fight career dates back to 2008.
The card will be topped by an incredible lightweight title fight between two of the most battle-tested veterans in the division: champion Charles 'Do Bronx' Oliveira (31-8) and challenger Dustin 'The Diamond' Poirier (28-6). Saturday's UFC 269 event in Las Vegas will be the promotion's final pay-per-view of a very successful 2021, and the event's headliner is befitting of the occasion.
