Dustin Poirier vs Benoit Saint-Denis to go ahead despite UFC 299 confusion

Poirier claimed the fight was off, only to make a U-turn within a matter of hours – while Saint-Denis’s team told The Independent they ‘didn’t understand’ Poirier’s initial comments

Dustin Poirier’s fight with Benoit Saint-Denis is set to go ahead at UFC 299, after Poirier backtracked on his claim that the bout was off.

The American lightweight is due to face France’s Saint-Denis in a five-round co-main event on 9 March, though Poirier briefly cast doubt upon that fact on Thursday (1 February).

The former interim champion shared a photo of himself in the gym while writing on X: “My fight’s off but [I’m] still working.”

Shortly thereafter, Saint-Denis’s team told The Independent they did not “understand” the tweet, and that the fight was still on as far as they were aware. The French fighter also took to Instagram to write: “Counting down the days.”

Poirier, 35, proceeded to tell ESPN: “There was no contractual agreement before the fight was announced and we couldn’t come to terms.”

However, Poirier soon backtracked, writing: “Sorry folks, I jumped the gun, I couldn’t get a hold of my manager for a few days. I just spoke with him and Hunter [Campbell, UFC’s chief business officer].

“Misunderstanding on my part. Fight is on! See you March 9th Miami!!!”

The UFC frequently announces fights before they are actually signed, according to numerous fighters. That practice saw a bout between Sean Brady and Vicente Luque fall through this week, after Brady said he never signed a contract and is not fit to compete. The welterweight contest was due to headline a Fight Night in New Jersey on 30 March.

Poirier, a former interim lightweight champion, holds two wins over Conor McGregor (Getty Images)

UFC 299 will take place three weeks before that event, with Sean O’Malley defending his bantamweight title against Marlon Vera in the main event.

The co-main event pits third-ranked Poirier against No 11 Saint-Denis in a lightweight bout. Poirier last fought in July, suffering a head-kick knockout by Justin Gaethje. Saint-Denis last fought in November, knocking out Matt Frevola with a head kick. The Frenchman, 28, is on a five-fight win streak and has secured finishes in all of those bouts.