Dustin Poirier is no longer fighting Benoit Saint-Denis, maybe because they were never contractually scheduled to fight in the first place.

Poirier, the former UFC interim lightweight champion, announced Thursday on X that his fight against Saint-Denis (13-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC) is off. The two were expected to meet March 9 in the co-main event of UFC 299 as UFC CEO Dana White announced a few weeks ago.

However, Poirier (29-8 MMA, 21-7 UFC) said there was never a signed deal with the UFC despite White’s announcement, and the two sides couldn’t come to terms.

“There was no contractual agreement before the fight was announced, and we couldn’t come to terms,” Poirier said in a statement to MMA Junkie.

The UFC has yet to comment on the matter. It’s unclear if Saint-Denis will get a new opponent for UFC 299 or if the promotion will try to book the fight for a later date.

My fights off but still working pic.twitter.com/DRG61CJySA

— The Diamond (@DustinPoirier) February 1, 2024

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 299.