In the documentary Fightville, one of the central subjects explains his attachment to combat sports. “Fighting,” says Dustin Poirier in a thick Cajun accent, “opens a path of redemption to me.” Poirier was 19 at the time—a scrappy kid, short on skill and long on heart—fighting mixed martial events in Louisiana.
Today, Poirier is 30, a father, husband, and UFC veteran of nearly two-dozen fights. On Saturday night in Atlanta, the lightweight division’s No. 3 contender Poirier (24–5, 1 NC) takes on Max Holloway (20–3) at UFC 236, a rematch of a fight Poirier won in 2012 available exclusively on ESPN+.