Dustin Poirier says his longtime relationship with Bud Light ended abruptly in the wake of his recent arrest for public drunkenness.
Poirier, a former UFC interim lightweight champion who had starred in Bud Light commercials and publicly represented the brand, says the company cut ties as soon as the incident occurred. “They terminated my contract immediately,” Poirier said.
The fallout has already shown up on broadcasts. A Bud Light commercial featuring Poirier alongside UFC announcer Bruce Buffer was heavily edited in recent airings to remove Poirier.
Poirier said the decision carried a financial hit for his household. “It sucks that my family loses out on the money I had left on the deal with them, which is a few hundred thousand dollars.”
Still, Poirier framed the split as aligning with changes he’s making after the arrest, which came after he drank too much, was kicked off a flight, and detained by police at the Atlanta airport. “It’s all good. I don’t need that f*cking poison in my life,” he said, adding, “There are plenty of people out there who do drink responsibly. I’m not one.”
“But also if I’m representing something, if I’m advertising something that I’m not going to be taking part in, promoting stuff — it’s just, it is what it is,” Poirier said. “So if you can drink responsibly, have fun, drink a Bud Light, drink whatever the hell you want. Be responsible, have a good time. I’m not that person.”
