Poirier agreed to face Diaz just TWO DAYS before UFC 279 after Chimaev weighed over the limit

Dustin Poirier has revealed that he agreed to face Nate Diaz with just two days notice before UFC 279 after Khamzat Chiamev weighed in at seven pounds over the limit.

The UFC decided against bringing Poirier in and opted to promote Tony Ferguson instead, but Poirier claims he would have been ready to go if needed, despite the fact that he wasn’t due to fight for another two weeks.

Poirier posted a picture on twitter the day before the fight showing he could have made the weight limit if needed. 

Dustin Poirier has revealed he was ready to step in for UFC 279 despite not being due to fight for two weeks

He wasn’t needed in the end, as Nate Diaz (pictured) instead fought Tony Ferguson

He told Heavy Sports: ‘My coach Mike Brown just flew into Louisiana the night before, and it was his birthday. 

‘So, I ate some pasta, so I was a little bit heavy the morning they called. Then they offered me the fight and I accepted it.

 They had to go through hurdles with the athletic commission to try to make this thing happen, for me to fly over same day.

37-year-old Diaz picked up a fourth round win by submission in his final UFC fight

‘Luckily for me, I have some friends who have the ability to — and pilots — get me to Vegas on very short-notice time, so I had that set up. Everything was good to go. But I think it ultimately came down to the athletic commission.’

 ‘Tony [Ferguson] had already weighed in and they wanted to go that way instead. But I did accept, and I did speak to the UFC, and they were very thankful.’

Diaz won the eventual fight by submission in the fourth round. It proved to be his last UFC fight, as the 37-year-old opted not to renew his contract.

Poirier is set to fight Michael Chandler in a much-anticipated fight in November at Madison Square Gardens.