Dustin Poirier, a Lafayette native who last night beat Conor McGregor for the second time in six months at UFC 264, arrived home in Lafayette today with a crowd to welcome him.
Poirier's match with the flamboyant McGregor ended when McGregor badly injured his left ankle in the closing seconds of the first round.
Poirier said some of "the Northside" might have come out last night, after he defeated a man who had insulted him, his wife, his family and even threatened him with death. But, he said, karma is a mirror.
"You put stuff out there, and you say the things he said, and you do the things he does, I believe karma's a mirror. I try to live my life and do good things, and I feel like it comes back to me," Poirier said.
Hype is part of the process, he said, but some things crossed a line, he added.
"I understand the business part and the entertainment part, how you hype things up, but you don't talk about death. Him talking about he was going to kill me. That's something that could happen in there, so you don't talk about that."
Poirier stayed there at the airport, taking pictures with every person who asked. He also signed everything that anyone gave him.
"I am here to meet Dustin Poirier," said Ryder Meaux, a 12-year-old fan.
"It just feels good to be back in Acadiana with my people," said Poirier.
"He is just a great guy. He's not cocky. He doesn't trash talk or talk about other peoples' wives," Meaux said.
"I just hope that I can inspire and show people that with hard work and determination anything is possible," Poirier said. "You know, if you chase your dreams no matter where you're from, no matter what is stacked against you. And I just want other people and underdogs and people fighting for their families, fighting for more, I want them to see us."
