After TUF Nations Finale win, Dustin Poirier wants Swanson-Stephens winner

QUEBEC CITY – Dustin Poirier isn’t ready to let bygones by bygones.

The UFC featherweight called for a rematch with a previous opponent who bested him after a dominant win at the TUF Nations Finale, asking to meet the winner of an upcoming bout between Cub Swanson (20-5 MMA, 5-1 UFC) and Jeremy Stephens (23-9 MMA, 10-8 UFC), who meet at UFC Fight Night 44 in June.

But Poirier (16-3 MMA, 8-2 UFC) also acknowledged the UFC might have other plans for the division.

“There’s a lot of tough guys, but I’d like to rematch Cub Swanson,” Poirier, who now is the UFC featherweight with the most octagon victories at eight, told MMAjunkie. “I would like the winner of the Swanson (vs.) Stephens fight, but I think they’re fighting for the title, whoever wins that.

“So whatever they want. I’m going to get back to the gym, put this work in, and be ready for whoever.”

Swanson owns a win over Poirier from a meeting in February 2013 at UFC on FUEL TV 7. In a previous interview with MMAjunkie Radio, Poirier said he cut a large amount of weight on short notice to make the required limit and wasn’t at his best.

That wasn’t the case on Wednesday at the reality show finale, where Poirier dispatched “The Ultimate Fighter 14? veteran Akira Corassani (12-4 MMA, 3-1 UFC) after shoving him at the event’s weigh-ins.

Poirier was rocked by a stiff jab from Corassani in the first round and found himself in a brief slugfest, but quickly took control in the second round and earned a TKO. It was his third straight win in the UFC since his setback against Swanson.

Swanson has won his past five and was in the conversation for a shot at featherweight champ Jose Aldo, but instead was recently booked to meet Stephens, who’s won three since dropping from lightweight to featherweight.

Of course, Poirier could wind up meeting Stephens if Swanson is unsuccessful, or an entirely different opponent. But the UFC now knows who he prefers to fight next.

For complete coverage of the TUF Nations Finale, check out the UFC Events section of the site.