Dustin Poirier has broken his silence following his arrest on Sunday for allegedly being drunk in an airport, telling fans in a seven-word statement that he is 'working on himself.' The 37-year-old former UFC interim lightweight champion was taken into custody after an incident at an airport bar, with fellow former MMA star Ben Askren posting a video showing Poirier play-wrestling with another man.
Former UFC Star's Arrest and Social Media Response
Askren captioned the video, 'He was having a good time at the airport. Wrestled some of my friends.' Poirier later addressed the incident on Instagram, writing, 'Love you all. I'm working on myself.' The Louisiana native, who fought 32 times for the UFC and challenged Khabib Nurmagomedov for the lightweight title, has previously admitted to struggling with the end of his fighting career after announcing retirement last year.
Poirier's Previous Comments on Retirement Struggles
In a candid interview on Joe Rogan's podcast, Poirier said, 'Retiring is scary. Days are long. I have a lot of time. I don't have to get ready for a fight. I wouldn't say depressed, but I got into a kind of funk like, 'What the hell am I going to do with my life?' Every day I would wake up for the past 20 years [and think] 'How can I be a better fighter? What's new in fitness? How can I push myself? I want to be the champion.' And then, boom, you lay the gloves down and you wake up and you're a f***ing civilian.'
He added, 'Like, it feels crazy. It's like I'm re-learning who I am. I don't know who I am without fighting. Fighting was a cloud in my mind that never went away for 20 years. Now I wake up and it's gone. What do I do? I'm still trying to find out.'
Earlier Social Media Post About Missing Fighting
Those comments follow a post on social media last year when Poirier was asked, 'How much do you miss it?' to which he replied: 'Everyday, the moment my eyes open, I've done it for two decades dedicated my life to it.... A part of me has died.' The arrest and subsequent statement highlight the ongoing challenges Poirier faces in adjusting to life after professional fighting.
