Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Dustin Poirier does indeed appear to be the next step for the UFC’s lightweight division.
Speaking Saturday on the UFC St. Petersburg post-fight show, Nurmagomedov, the reigning UFC lightweight champion, admitted that he was surprised by Poirier’s interim title win over Max Holloway at UFC 236 and said that preliminary discussions have already begun for a unification match between he and Poirier for September, likely at UFC 241 in Abu Dhabi.
“I think it was a very good performance from Dustin Poirier,” Nurmagomedov said on ESPN+.