Dustin Poirier (Image Via X)Former UFC star Dustin Poirier has spoken publicly for the first time about the airport arrest that made headlines last month. The retired lightweight appeared on The Diary of a CEO podcast and shared the emotional reasons behind the incident. He admitted that he made a poor decision by drinking at the airport before boarding his flight on Father’s Day.Poirier said the arrest was not caused by a single moment but by a long emotional struggle involving his father’s alcoholism and his own mental health. While accepting full responsibility for what happened, he explained that personal pain and depression played a major role in the events that led to his arrest.Dustin Poirier says emotional struggles led to Father’s Day airport incidentDustin Poirier gave an honest account of the emotional burden he has been carrying in recent years. During the 93-minute interview, the former UFC fighter spoke about his father, who has struggled with alcohol addiction for a long time. According to Poirier, the addiction has damaged nearly every part of his father’s life. He said it has broken family relationships, ended friendships, and led to several alcohol-related arrests over the years. He also revealed that his father is currently homeless because of his ongoing addiction.Poirier explained that some members of the family still have limited contact with his father, while others have completely cut ties. He said watching his father continue down the same path has been painful because every attempt to help has ended the same way.The retired fighter said these thoughts stayed with him on Father’s Day while he was traveling through Atlanta Airport. He admitted that he could not stop thinking about his father’s situation. Instead of handling those emotions in a healthy way, he chose to drink alcohol at the airport. He said that decision eventually led to the incident that resulted in his arrest.Poirier stressed that he is not trying to blame anyone else for what happened. He said he knew drinking was the wrong choice because alcohol has never helped him during difficult periods in his life. Even though his father’s situation deeply affected him, he accepted that the final decision was his alone.The former interim UFC lightweight champion also opened up about his own mental health journey. He revealed that he began attending therapy several years ago and found it helpful. However, after feeling better, he gradually stopped using the coping methods he had learned.Looking back, Poirier said he recognized that he was slipping into depression again. He admitted he should have avoided alcohol during that time but ignored what he already knew. He said drinking only made things worse instead of helping him deal with his emotions.Poirier’s honest interview has received attention from fans because of his willingness to speak openly about addiction, depression, and personal responsibility. Rather than making excuses, the retired UFC star acknowledged his mistake while explaining the emotional circumstances that surrounded it.