Dustin Poirier vs. Justin Gaethje targeted for spring showdown

Dustin Poirier won’t get his rematch with Eddie Alvarez just yet, but a pretty nice concession is in the works.

A fight between Poirier (22-5 MMA, 14-4 UFC) and Justin Gaethje (18-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC) is in the works for spring, according to two people with knowledge of the situation, who told MMAjunkie the bout could take place as early as UFC 222 or an event in April. They spoke on the condition of anonymity because the UFC has yet to make the matchup public.

Bout sheets have yet to be signed, but verbal agreements are in place.

UFC 222 is set for March 3 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and features a Max Holloway-Frankie Edgar featherweight title fight as the main event. The only known event currently scheduled for April is UFC 223, which takes place at Barclays Center, in Brooklyn, N.Y., and features a headliner between interim lightweight champion Tony Ferguson and Khabib Nurmagomedov.

Poirier is two months removed from an emphatic win over ex-lightweight champion Anthony Pettis (20-7 MMA, 7-6 UFC), which put him back in the win column after a controversial no-contest against Alvarez.

Alvarez pivoted on a rematch with Poirier after their UFC 211 bout, opting instead to coach Season 26 of “The Ultimate Fighter” opposite Gaethje. The two delivered a “Fight of the Year” candidate at UFC 218 with Alvarez (29-5 MMA, 4-2 UFC) gutting it out for a third-round TKO. Poirier resumed his campaign for a rematch, to no avail.

With a logjam at the top of the lightweight division soon to cleared, the winner of Poirier vs. Gaethje could be poised for a title shot.

For more info on UFC 222 and UFC 223, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.