Is Dustin Poirier French? Explaining 'The Diamond's' ethnicity in light of Conor McGregor's congratulatory tweet

UFC megastar Conor McGregor's tweet alluding to Dustin Poirier's French heritage appears to have ushered in a renewed intensity to their long-running feud. It's also piqued the interest of many in the MMA community in regard to the details of 'The Diamond's' ethnicity.

Ireland's McGregor and America's Poirier have clashed thrice inside the octagon thus far. 'The Diamond' leads their series of MMA bouts by 2-1.

Besides, the gruesome leg injury McGregor sustained in their third encounter in July 2021 forced him into a hiatus. The former UFC featherweight and lightweight champion is expected to make his comeback this year (2024). Meanwhile, 'The Diamond' has competed four times since their rubber match.

Dustin Poirier last beat France's Benoit Saint Denis via second-round KO, courtesy of a devastating right hook at UFC 299 (March 9, 2024). Conor McGregor subsequently put forth a tweet wherein he lauded Poirier and Saint Denis, besides indicating that both UFC 299 stars were of French descent. 'The Notorious' also tagged French President Emmanuel Macron and tweeted:

"Great fight out of them French boys tonight! Toutes nos félicitations @DustinPoirier @BenoitSt_Denis @EmmanuelMacron"

In a rivalry that's spanned around a decade, Poirier and 'The Notorious' have largely been hostile toward one another. Besides, the Irishman has often directed derogatory personal remarks against 'The Diamond' and his family. Ergo, Conor McGregor's tweet of laudation elicited surprise and curiosity from fight fans worldwide.

During the UFC 299 post-fight press conference, Poirier was asked about McGregor's tweet. The Louisiana-born fighter responded by asserting that the Irishman had also felt his right hook, thereby harking back to when he'd KO'd 'The Notorious' with a right hook in their rematch.

Watch Poirier's reaction below:

Speaking of Dustin Poirier's ethnicity, he's known to be a proud representative of the Cajun community. The Cajuns are a French-speaking ethnic group that mainly lives in the state of Louisiana in the United States of America. It's believed that they emigrated to the US region, primarily in the 18th century.

Their ancestors were a part of the French colony of Acadia, a territory that comprised several areas of today's Canadian provinces as well as parts of the US state of Maine. The Cajuns are often categorized as a sub-division of a community known as the Creoles (i.e., French Louisianians).

Moreover, the Cajun community consists of people from a wide variety of races. It includes those of French, Irish, Spanish, German, Italian, African, Native American, and other ancestry as well.

---

Dustin Poirier ethnicity: 'The Diamond' addresses French connection in UFC 299 fight

During the UFC 299 post-fight press conference, Dustin Poirier was asked about the French connection in his high-stakes lightweight showdown against the France-born Benoit Saint Denis. One journalist implied that the reactions to and comments on Poirier's social media posts were filled with French flags heading into their matchup.

Replying to the same, Dustin Poirier explained that he understands the French fans' passion. The former interim UFC lightweight champion, who could fight for the undisputed lightweight title this year, highlighted that MMA was legalized in France not too long ago.

Moreover, speaking of his own French heritage and Acadiana (French Louisiana), the MMA star alluded to the fact that his ancestors, a part of the Acadians (later known as French Louisianians), refused to sign an oath of allegiance to Britain.

The British authorities had, therefore, organized large-scale deportations, forcing them from Acadiana to regions in the US. Poirier stated:

"But, no, there's a lot of French in Acadiana, where I live in Lafayette. My dad speaks fluent French. A lot of the Cajuns in Acadiana came from French Canada. You know, we got kicked out and relocated to Louisiana."

Watch Poirier discuss the topic below (5:38):