The Diary of a CEOEXCLUSIVE - Dustin Poirier: I Lost Control! And I’ll Never Let It Happen Again
Episode Details
EPISODE INFO
- Released
- July 6, 2026
- Duration
- 1h 33m
- Channel
- The Diary of a CEO
- Watch on YouTube
- ▶ Open ↗
EPISODE DESCRIPTION
UFC legend Dustin Poirier reveals why he can't bring himself to watch the arrest video, the paid deals he's already lost, his vow to never drink again, and why the hardest fight of his life is happening off the mat. Dustin Poirier (“The Diamond”) is a retired UFC lightweight fighter with a 30-10 record, best known as the only man to knock out Conor McGregor in MMA. He founded The Good Fight Foundation with his wife, Jolie, in 2018 and now appears periodically as a desk analyst on UFC broadcasts. In June 2026, he was arrested for public intoxication at an Atlanta airport, after which he shared that he’s struggling with alcohol. He explains:
- What losing your career identity feels like, and how to rebuild when the fight is over
- How a childhood of poverty, detention and no father figure shaped the man he became
- Why elite athletes often fall apart when they retire, and what to do about it
- What going to therapy taught him about the pain he didn't know he was carrying
- The mental shift that turned losing to Conor McGregor into beating him
00:00 Intro 03:13 How Dustin Poirier's Early Life Shaped Everything That Followed 04:19 The Childhood Experiences That Defined Dustin's Mindset 06:01 How Dustin's Relationship With His Parents Changed His Life 06:59 Why Dustin Believes His Upbringing Made Him Who He Is 08:21 From School Fights to Juvenile Detention: What Went Wrong? 09:36 How Alcohol Entered Dustin's Life at a Young Age 10:36 The Airport Incident: What Really Happened? 12:41 Living With an Alcoholic Father 15:44 Dustin's Battle With Depression 18:34 What Therapy Taught Dustin About Himself 22:48 Was Fighting an Escape From Emotional Pain? 23:48 Why So Many Retired Athletes End Up in Trouble 26:51 Why Dustin Chose to Get Sober 28:28 What Dustin Was Doing Before the Airport Incident 31:11 Dustin Reacts After Watching the Airport Video 34:22 What Charges Did Dustin Face? 35:45 The Difficult Conversation Dustin Had With His Wife 38:49 Ads 43:11 Why Viral Clips Rarely Tell the Full Story 46:35 Dustin Responds to Jon Jones' Viral Post 48:29 Why Dustin Says His Mental Health Still Fluctuates 52:16 The Hidden Cost of Bottling Up Your Emotions 53:59 How Dustin Is Finding Purpose Beyond Fighting 55:07 Can Anything Replace the Feeling of Fighting? 56:44 What Other Fighters Say About Life After Retirement 58:05 How the Airport Incident Changed Dustin's Career Plans 58:44 Does Dustin Still Have Sponsors? 59:39 What's Next for Dustin Professionally? 01:02:51 Ads 01:04:40 Is Dustin Poirier Financially Set for Life? 01:06:48 Why Dustin's Farewell Fight Means So Much 01:14:38 Was Dustin's Family Ready for Him to Retire? 01:15:03 Dustin's Biggest Fear About Brain Damage 01:18:42 Does Dustin Feel Different After Everything He's Been Through? 01:19:55 Could Dustin Ever Return to the UFC? 01:20:39 The Latest Update on Dustin's Father 01:23:59 Does Dustin Fear Getting That Phone Call About His Father? 01:24:29 How Dustin's Mother Copes With His Father's Struggles 01:24:56 What's Next for Dustin Poirier? 01:26:32 How He's Trying to Make the World Better Follow Dustin: Instagram - https://link.thediaryofaceo.com/E2OdPNk X - https://link.thediaryofaceo.com/3XxRxB YouTube - https://link.thediaryofaceo.com/3DQVB2W The Good Fight Foundation - https://link.thediaryofaceo.com/AbsZdY5 The Diary Of A CEO:
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SPEAKERS
Dustin Poirier
guestRetired UFC lightweight star from Lafayette, Louisiana, and founder of The Good Fight Foundation.
Steven Bartlett
hostEntrepreneur and host of The Diary of a CEO.
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of The Diary of a CEO, featuring Dustin Poirier and Steven Bartlett, EXCLUSIVE - Dustin Poirier: I Lost Control! And I’ll Never Let It Happen Again explores dustin Poirier on sobriety, purpose loss, and mental health struggles Poirier describes a severe depressive episode on Father’s Day that led him to drink heavily in an airport, argue with staff, and get arrested for public intoxication.
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