Dustin Poirier Wants Compensation, Rematch With Alvarez Following UFC 211

Dustin Poirier spoke with MMAjunkie about his no-contest fight with Eddie Alvarez at UFC 211. Poirier is planning to appeal the decision, which came after referee Herb Dean initially ruled that Alvarez landed illegal knee strikes but because he may not have heard a warning, the strikes were unintentional. The highlights are below:

On the no-contest result of his fight: “I earned that money for my family. That’s my daughter’s college fund. I’m a prizefighter, and somebody made a call and took away the opportunity for me to make my money…I want my compensation, and I want a rematch.”

On Herb Dean ruling that the strikes were unintentional: “I’m protected by these rules. I think he’s trying to cover his own ass. Any time somebody strikes somebody with a blow, it’s intentional. I don’t understand. He didn’t trip me and kick me on the ground – he intentionally kneed me on the ground.”

On instant replay: “Human error is just too in the way when stuff happens like that, when adrenaline is pumping. You make a split-second call in the heat of the moment, and you might be behind the guy a little bit or be at an angle and not see what’s going on. Any of that stuff, Herb warned Eddie. And I’m not saying Eddie’s a dirty guy or intentionally did that – the guy’s a clean fighter, and he was just trying to win. But he might have been dazed. He obviously was still hurt from those shots I landed, and he might have just been fighting on instinct. I hope that. I don’t know.”

On a possible rematch with Alvarez: “I know the fans want to see it, and I know I deserve it. I don’t know if Eddie wants it, but I want my money and I want a rematch. I was in the groove and in the rhythm to (take my career to the next level). I don’t know what this does. But another thing that got stolen, I was about to finish the former world champion. All this kind of (expletive) it up.”