New footage from the June arrest of retired UFC champion Dustin Poirier at a Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport reveals the former fighter directing racial slurs at Black officers and disparaging his fanbase.
The newly released police video shows an agitated Poirier challenging officers to a fight and verbally abusing them, days after his initial arrest for public intoxication on June 21. In one clip, Poirier, while handcuffed, taunts an officer, "Arrest me! Bring me to the penitentiary because this is bulls***! Hoe-a** n******!"
Poirier is also heard telling officers, "Listen, let's rock one... Y'all free me, and we go one-on-one. Let's go. Let's go, one-on-one. Me and you. Let's go. Let's see what happens."
When an officer asked Poirier about his fans' potential reaction to the incident, the fighter responded aggressively. "Man, f*** them, too!" Poirier snapped back. "F*** the fans! F*ck you guys!"
One officer can be heard expressing frustration with Poirier, stating to a colleague, "He already got one cauliflower ear and I'm about to rip that b**** off and put it in his pocket." Poirier, a former two-division UFC champion, eventually retired from fighting last year.
Following the arrest, Poirier issued a statement on Instagram acknowledging his struggles with alcohol and seeking help. "Im at the point where I need some help, walking away from fighting hasn't been easy on me and alcohol isn't the answer," he wrote. "It has ruined my father's life and I will not allow it to ruin mine, my family deserve me at 100%. I'm trying to do everything I can to get my mind right and take the right next steps."
Poirier had previously spoken about the challenges of retirement, telling Full Send MMA, "Some days I'm great, some days I'm not so good. It's up and down honestly. If I'm not working towards something or trying to better my family, I'm a danger to myself."