Should Dustin Poirier Retire?

 When a fighter should end his career is a very polarizing topic. I've personally got into some very ugly discussions with Dana White over Chuck retirement. The weird thing is, we were both on the same side, Chuck's safety and well-being. I've thrown in the towel more than any other trainer I know, because I'm always looking out for my fighters safety. That's sometimes a good thing, but sometimes it can be overdone. Just like throwing in the towel too soon could stop the chance of your fighter winning if he weathers the storm, the same can be said for a fighter retiring too soon when he still has a championship left in him. For many fighters winning a championship is far more than just the accolade, pride, or the recognition of being a champion, for many fighters. It also means something very important, especially for family men, financial security. You can say no financial security is worth the fighter's health, and I agree 100%, but sometimes the risk is worth the reward.  

https://www.thepit.tv/blog/2-13d992f4-073b-474b-9604-c1035e08c0f3

 Should Dustin Poirier Retire?

Is the risk of an acute or even chronic injury worth continuing your fight career when you didn't win the title. This topic is relevant for many fighters, not just high notoriety fighters like Dustin Poirier. There are many fighters who make much less than he does and take much more physical damage, but it's feeding their family, and putting a roof over their head. Many of these fighters have losing records, but this is the way they make a living for their family, should they be forced to retire?  Should a fighter who is living fight to fight/paycheck to paycheck forced to retire because they've never won a title, a lot of them haven't even wanna fight in a couple years, but they're still putting a roof over their family's head and providing food.  I'd be willing to bet my house that Dustin is making a lot more than ends meet, in fact, I'm willing to bet if he retired today, he would be set for life, and a pretty highlife at that. He will never be wanting for anything financially, his kids will have the finest education, he'll always have the finest transportation, House, vacations, and most importantly, comfortable financial security. I'd be willing to bet my house that he has that right now and he never has to fight again so should he be made to retire because he is set for life financially?

Fighting is a very tough sport, in fact it's the toughest sport in the world. Like I said, there are many injuries in fighting most of them, acute and curable, and some are chronic and they will stay with you for the rest of your life. Is, the risk worth the reward, when should a fighter be forced to retire? Should a fighter be forced to retire? Should Dustin Poirier retire? We've already said that he set for life, financially, so he doesn't need to fight anymore. But on the other side of that, who are we to decide what Dustin Poirier "needs"? Nobody needs candy, soda, alcohol, vacations, a barbecue, oh really no one needs anything except for things that keep them alive. Who are we to dictate what someone else needs, it's subjective. 

For the controlling people who think they know what's best for everyone may say that he's causing himself damage, and that might be true. I'd be willing to bet a lot of money that candy, soda and fast food causes much more damage to people than MMA, but no one thinks it would be right to not give people the choice to treat their body that way they want. You hear it all the time, my body, my choice. If a grown man with all of his faculties wants to do something that could be harmful, who are we to tell him he doesn't have that choice.

 Dustin Poirier is a warrior he might or might not need to fight anymore, but it's up to one person and one person only,  Dustin Poirier. I'm sure his family has a lot of input into that, but at the end of the day, the decision ends with him.