After auctioning off his fight gear to help people in need in his hometown of Lafayette, Louisiana, the lightweight contender Dustin Poirier has launched The Good Fight Foundation to continue helping his community every time he steps into the cage.

Dustin Poirier is a great fighter – a former featherweight contender turned Top 5 lightweight who headlines his second consecutive UFC on FOX event this weekend in Calgary, the third consecutive time he’s in main event slot and the fifth time he’s done it over the course of his 21-fight UFC career.

The 29-year-old from Lafayette, Louisiana is an ever better man – a devoted son, husband and father who has remained humble despite all of his success and has never forgotten who he is or where he comes from for a second.

Following each of his last three fights, Poirier has auctioned off his entire UFC fight kit – hat, shirt, gloves and shorts – and donated the proceeds to a local organization in need.

It started with the gear he wore at UFC 211 in Dallas, the first time he faced Eddie Alvarez, the man he meets in Saturday night’s main event in Calgary. The money from that auction went to the Second Harvest Food Bank in his hometown.

Following his main event clash with Anthony Pettis in Norfolk, Virginia last November, the surging lightweight donated the money earned from auctioning off that fight kit to the family of fallen Lafayette Police Cpl. Michael Middlebrook, who was killed in the line of duty.

After his epic clash with Justin Gaethje in April, the money raised from auctioning off that bloodstained kit was given to the Acadiana Outreach Center, which aids women and children who are experiencing homelessness and poverty.

Along the way, Poirier and his wife Jolie decided to launch their own charity, The Good Fight Foundation.

“The whole beginning of me auctioning off fight-worn stuff was her doing,” Poirier said of his wife, who serves as the Foundation’s Vice President and Director. “We were moving and I had drawers filled with fight stuff and I was like, ‘What can we do with all this?’ I don’t want to throw it away because it means something to me and I’m sure someone else would appreciate it, so we used the fighting platform to promote it and then use the funds from it to benefit people and it has turned into The Good Fight.

“I started it because I wanted it to have its own identity. I didn’t want it to be ‘look what Dustin Poirier did’ or this and that – I wanted it to be its own name, its own thing so that I can still do my thing and not feel like I’m doing that. I’m attached to it, but it’s its own thing and I want it to grow in its own way.”

The kid who literally fought to provide a better life for himself and his family has matured into a man who continues to do the same thing today, but also recognizes the opportunity he has to make an impact on the lives of others along the way and will do so for the remainder of his career through his charitable organization.

“I come from nothing, so everything I have is because I fought for it and found a way to make it happen, so if I can help people along the way, then I’m doing a good job.”

When you hear Poirier explain his motivations, they’re simple, genuine and quite straightforward: if he’s going to be fighting to better his family’s life, why not try to better someone else’s life while he’s at it?

“That’s the way I was brought up,” said Poirier. “I come from nothing, so everything I have is because I fought for it and found a way to make it happen, so if I can help people along the way, then I’m doing a good job.

“I’m going to do this regardless,” he added. “I’m going to go out there and put everything on the line in front of everybody and fight for me, fight for my family – work my ass off week-in and week-out and fight to the finish, bell-to-bell, every round. But if I can bring some people along with me – help people out, make life a little easier, make them feel good, give somebody something to smile about – it makes these minutes and the bloodshed inside the cage mean so much more.”

While Poirier has never been and never will be one to rush out and publicize his charitable works, people are taking notice.

The UFC on FOX 30 headliner was recently named a Spirit of Hope Award honoree by the American Cancer Society, an honor that the talented fighter takes great pride in, though he was completely caught off guard by the news.

Dustin Poirier has been named an American Cancer Society 2018 Spirit of Hope Honoree & will be honored at the American Cancer Society Black & White Gala August 25th!! Congratulations @DustinPoirier pic.twitter.com/HFC0PEWx2q — The Good Fight Foundation (@TheGoodFightFDN) July 13, 2018

“Honestly, I didn’t even know they were talking about giving me that award and I’m really excited about it,” said Poirier, who was in the final stages of fight camp for Saturday’s rematch with Alvarez when the ACS held its Black and White Gala celebrating the honorees. “It means a lot to me and I’m honored because I didn’t know – people knew what I was doing, but I didn’t know people were appreciating it that much.

“I know I’m helping out families and trying to do stuff, use the platform I have to try to do good things in my community, but to see somebody go out and give an award or even talk about my name in the mix of people doing good things is great because I had no idea.”

None of this is for show.

None of this is for recognition.

None of this is for anything other than the opportunity to have a positive impact on the lives of people within his community.

“I’m going to go in there and fight the hardest I can, but if I can bring people along, touch somebody’s life, make people smile,” said Poirier before pausing.

“I’m doing it anyway, so if I can have a great impact, let’s do it. That means a lot to me, man.”

It means a lot to a lot of other people too.