Barring a blitzkrieg, knockout loss to the ever-dangerous Michael Johnson, Louisiana’s Dustin Poirier has looked absolutely fantastic since returning to the lightweight division. Since he made this return, he has picked up emphatic defeats over Carlos Diego Ferreira, Yancy Medeiros, Joseph Duffy, Bobby Green and Jim Miller. These big wins have earned him a fight with former lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez. The two talents will collide on the main card of UFC 211 this May. If Poirier passes this upcoming test, he expects to be just one win away from a UFC lightweight title shot.

He explained this feeling in a recent interview with MMAJunkie Radio.

“A win over Eddie Alvarez would put me right there fighting for the title,” Poirier said. “That would put me at 6-1 in the lightweight division with a win over the former champ. It’s not like I’m a guy who just stumbled into the top 10. … I’ve been in title eliminator fights before at featherweight. I’m not a new guy to the block, and I’ve been putting in work.”

“This guy was just a champion,” Poirier continued. “If I go out there and put a stamp on Eddie Alvarez, I think I’m one win away [from a shot].”

Poirier then explained that he believes a win over Alvarez is a real possibility, as he doubts the former champ’s motivation.

“He might not have the same motivation he had on his climb to that belt,” Poirier said. “But I know this: This is the biggest fight of my life, and Eddie’s probably thinking it’s not the biggest fight of his life. I don’t know what’s going on with Eddie, but I hope he’s busting his ass.”

Do you think Dustin Poirier can upset Eddie Alvarez this May? If he does, how far from a lightweight title shot will he be? Sound off, PENN Nation!

This article first appeared on BJPenn.com on 3/26/2017.