ATLANTA — Nobody has been able to solve the puzzle that is UFC lightweight champ Khabib Nurmagomedov. But new champ Dustin Poirier believes he’s the one.

Asked why, the newly minted UFC interim lightweight champ told MMA Junkie, “Grit. Determination. The right amount of crazy. Self-belief. Everything it takes to be a champion, I have that.”

After a gutsy win over the iron-jawed Max Holloway (20-5 MMA, 16-5 UFC), it’s hard to disagree. In 40 total professional and amateur fights, Poirier (25-5 MMA, 17-4 UFC) said he’s only twice left the cage with sore hands, and Saturday’s pay-per-view headliner at State Farm Arena in Atlanta was one of them.

Not everyone was convinced by Poirier’s performance, of course. On Twitter, Nurmagomedov (27-0 MMA, 11-0 UFC) called the UFC 236 main event a draw, though he still gave the new interim champ his due and welcomed a fight in September.

The Lafayette native could’ve clapped back at the sour note, but he was instead earnest about his impressions on scoring.

“I didn’t know,” he said. “My boxing coach told me coming into the fifth round when I was sitting on the stool, he said, ‘If you go out there win this round, you’re the world champion.’ My corner had me either tied there or ahead, and I won the fifth round, I feel like.

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