The Struggles of Post-Retirement - Dustin Poirier
Dustin Poirier was recently arrested at an Atlanta Airport on Father's Day. Police responded around 4:50 p.m. to a Delta Gate for a dispute involving an alleged intoxicated passenger who was denied boarding. I am sure police were not expecting to see Dustin Poirier, who is widely considered one of the greatest lightweights of all time and one of the greatest to never win an undisputed title. What is even more heartbreaking is that, after his bail, Dustin Poirier released a statement regarding his struggle to walk away from fighting, that he has been using alcohol, and acknowledging the issue.
Dustin is not the first fighter to struggle after calling it quits on his martial arts career. He is one of the few, however, to call it at a relatively young age and still contending in the Lightweight division.
Furthermore, many fighters have struggled to adjust once the cage door closes; just because fighters compete three to four times a year does not mean that walking away no longer impacts everyday life.
Fighters live in the fighting gyms, training two to three times a day; training partners can become longtime friends, almost family members at times. Dustin Poirier’s life has revolved around fighting and training camps; whether it was for the UFC or the WEC, it has been two decades of Dustin constantly chasing the same goal. That “letting go” mentality and putting the gloves away is such a shift in life that a lot of fighters have no clue where to go.
History of MMA retirements
There is a lineage of past MMA fighters that can indicate what is possibly next in Dustin Poirier's life. What is fortunate is that Dustin walked away on his own terms from the sport and acknowledged his alcohol issues. Many fighters struggle to acknowledge the issues at hand before it is too late. A perfect example can be seen through the Smashing Machine movie starring Dwayne Johnson, who portrayed the life of real-life MMA fighter Mark Kerr, who was frequently using pain medication throughout his career, which eventually led to his downward spiral out of the sport.
Mark Coleman also openly came out and admitted to his struggles post-retirement and his use of alcohol. Many fighters battle with what to do with their lives after it's all said and done. The athlete in MMA retires and now has forty to fifty years left in their career; for many of them, the thought of not fighting anymore seems impossible. A lot come back and continue, whether it is for one-off fights like Nick Diaz vs. Robbie Lawler II or to continue their careers until it is too far gone, like BJ Penn.
What To Expect
Dustin has the support not only of his family and friends but also of the entire MMA community, which can open many doors for the diamond. We have seen Dustin Poirier in the analyst booth, which seems like a very good fit; he has the personality and, of course, all the MMA knowledge to speak on the sport. What I find most surprising is that Dustin Poirier's personality and his goal of helping people around the world through his Good Fight Foundation has not led him to consider coaching fighters, especially up-and-comers. That need of giving back in some way to world can be through his knowledge of the sport and passing the torch on to the new generation.
Having trained with and been part of American Top Team for so long, Dustin Poirier could continue to have MMA in his life, but now from the corner's perspective. With American Top Team being such a big gym as well, Mike Brown could possibly give up some of the cornerman load to Dustin Poirier for regional/amateurs fights. Young fighters would now have an absolute legend in the sport giving them advice and being a pillar to their journey now. Dustin Poirier's bumps along the way should not deter him from his future career. It may not be in MMA at all; however, all signs tell us MMA fans, that he will do it with the same fighting spirit he has shown his entire life.
