In a surprising turn of events, former interim lightweight champion Dustin Poirier announced on Twitter that his upcoming fight against Saint Denis at UFC 299 is no longer happening. Poirier's message caught multiple sources close to him and Saint Denis off guard, as they had no prior knowledge of the fight being cancelled.

Clarifying the situation, Poirier revealed in a message to MMA Fighting's Ariel Helwani that there was no contractual agreement in place before the fight was announced, and both parties were unable to reach mutually acceptable terms. This lack of contractual clarity seems to be a recurring issue in the UFC, as fights are often announced before the necessary agreements have been finalized.

This is not the first time Poirier has faced such complications. Previously, a highly anticipated match against Tony Ferguson was announced for UFC 254, only for Poirier to withdraw due to unsuccessful contract negotiations. UFC CEO Dana White attributed Poirier's withdrawal to his own reluctance to fight, stating, "There's a lot of different ways to turn down a fight. Negotiating yourself out of one is one of the ways you can do it."

In 2021, Poirier signed an eight-fight deal with the UFC, which covered his recent bouts with Conor McGregor, Charles Oliveira, Justin Gaethje, and Michael Chandler. Based on the terms of that contract, Poirier has now completed five fights under its terms. However, unless Poirier has signed a new extension, he still has three fights remaining on his previous contract.

Poirier's decision to face Saint Denis, despite his lower ranking in the lightweight division, showcased his willingness to take on formidable opponents. Saint Denis has been on an impressive streak, winning five consecutive fights via knockout or submission. However, negotiations for this matchup were evidently unsuccessful, leading Poirier to abandon plans for the fight in March.

It remains to be seen what the future holds for Poirier and Saint Denis, as well as if Poirier will pursue alternative arrangements for his next fight. UFC fans will have to wait for further updates on Poirier's journey in the lightweight division and who his next opponent might be.