UFC 178 Results: 3 Fights to Make for Dustin Poirier

It was a short night for Dustin Poirier at UFC 178. Even Conor McGregor probably expected the fight to go at least a couple more minutes.

Whether Poirier can still climb the ladder to the top of the division remains to be seen, but there’s no doubt his stock has dropped after Saturday night. He may be forced to content himself with taking on the fringe of the featherweight division’s top 10 for the next couple of fights.

Read on for some potential future opponents for Poirier.

Nik Lentz

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Nik Lentz was scheduled to take on Charles Oliveira earlier this month at UFC Fight Night 50. Unfortunately, Oliveira withdrew from the bout at the last minute.

Lentz's most recent contest was a win over Manny Gamburyan back in May, so the 30-year-old will be eager to get back in the cage.

The UFC ordinarily won’t match up fighters who are coming off a win with those who are coming off a loss, but it would appear to make sense in this case. Poirier will be eager to move on from his loss to McGregor, and Lentz is searching for an opponent who can help him move up the featherweight rankings.

Jeremy Stephens

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Jeremy Stephen is coming off a loss to Cub Swanson at UFC Fight Night 44, breaking a three-fight winning streak.

With both men coming off recent losses, the No. 10-ranked Stephens is an ideal opponent for Poirier.

The matchup would give both fighters the opportunity to secure their spot in the 145-pound division’s top 10.

Clay Guida

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In his most recent outing, Clay Guida was choked out by rising star Dennis Bermudez at UFC on Fox 12. The UFC veteran now finds himself acting as a gatekeeper to younger talent.

A fight with Guida would give Poirier the opportunity to reestablish his top 10 credentials. And with Guida having fought in July, the timing appears to make sense.