Dustin Poirier (28-7, 21 finishes), four years after he was on track to headline at Madison Square Garden, will finally compete at the storied arena when he faces Michael Chandler (23-7, 18 finishes) in a key 155-pound bout on the pay-per-view portion of UFC 281 on Saturday. The former interim lightweight champ, 11 months removed from an unsuccessful bid to claim the undisputed crown against Charles Oliveira, recently spoke with The Post’s Scott Fontana via Zoom for the Post Fight Interview Q&A.

Q: This has been your longest-ever layoff between fights. How have you been using your time?
A: It’s pretty much been the same. Most of the time I spent back home in Louisiana. But I have so many buddies who are pro fighters, amateur fighters, that I’m in the gym helping them for their fights and sharpening my skills as well. Had a lot of time to spend with my wife and daughter. That was nice. 

Q: What was that a product of, the right fight not materializing?
A: I wish I could tell you. I’ve been asking the UFC for a fight the whole time; nothing came together. I’m not sure, but we [have] got one here.

Q: Last year was a busy one with the two finishes of Conor McGregor and the championship fight against Charles Oliveira. What does 2021 in your career mean to you?
A: It was a huge year. Any time you beat a guy of Conor McGregor’s stature in the combat sports world, it elevates opportunities for yourself. Then, obviously, the title fight at the end of the year. It was a great year for me and my family. It was a great year all the way around.

Q: Your profile grew considerably last year resulting from the Conor rivalry. Did that change your approach to your career at all?
A: The same place I was at before, man, I’m taking it just one fight at a time. I try not to look too far ahead. Nothing matters until after the next fight, whichever fight that is at the time. 

Q: A few years back, you were going to headline at Madison Square Garden against Nate Diaz before you had a hip injury, right?
A: I’ve had a hip injury for a while now. But Nate Diaz was giving the UFC trouble. They started offering me alternate replacement opponents, and then I decided to get the hip taken care of.

Q: How do you like having this second chance to compete at the Garden?
A: It’s a huge opportunity. The Garden is an iconic place throughout history for combat sports. The greats fought there. It’s a milestone in my fight career that I want to be able to talk about in the future, to my grandchildren, tell them I fought in Madison Square Garden, pay-per-view. It’s a big deal. It’s not a little thing to me. I’m taking this seriously. 

Q: When they mentioned the date and the arena, were you any more excited than for a typical venue?
A: I’ve been fighting for a while. It’s another fight, but I was happy where it was, for sure.

Q: What interests you about this Chandler fight?
A: It’s a legacy fight for me. He’s another former world champion. I have a list of former world champions that I’ve defeated, and I plan on adding his name to that list. 

Q: How do you feel about the style matchup between you and Chandler?
A: It depends how he fights. If he fights me like he fought Justin Gaethje, it’s gonna be a fight of the year-type of fight. We’ll see what happens. He’s explosive, dangerous. He’s the kind of fighter that gets me excited to fight. He brings it every time out. Fights that get me excited are the same fights that get the fans excited. Whenever you know there [are] two guys who [are] gonna go in there and leave it all on the line, those are the fights I want to be part of.

Q: There’s a new champion now: Islam Makhachev. What did you think of his performance against Oliveira last month?
A: Dominant. Of course, I knew he could get the job done, but I didn’t think he was gonna go out there and do it that smoothly, without taking damage or anything.

Q: You’ve yet to compete against Makhachev. How do you feel that affects your path to another shot at the championship?
A: Obviously, it’s an opening for another title shot; somebody who I haven’t fought; somebody who needs new opponents, I just have to replant that flag at the top of the mountain of the lightweight division.

Q: Do you feel motivated after a longer layoff to remind people who have short memories that you’re still here?
A: That’s every fight, man. Every fight, you’re proving yourself. So, no, I wouldn’t say that. As long as I know who I am going in.

Q: You made an impression early in your career, back in your UFC debut when you beat Josh Grispi who had originally been scheduled to fight Jose Aldo for the featherweight title that night. What do you remember about that first UFC experience?
A: Yeah, I remember the weight cut. That was the first time I ever went to 145 pounds. I was fighting at 155 pounds at the time in the WEC, and the UFC reached out to me. I wouldn’t say it was short notice, but it was relatively short notice to prepare for a new weight class. It was amazing, man. Going out there and getting that first win in the UFC showed me that I belonged competing with those guys. Even though we both came over from the WEC, I got my hand raised under the UFC banner at the MGM Grand. It was a big deal to me.

Q: You had beaten the No. 1 contender. Did you think to yourself, “Am I the No. 1 contender now?”
A: No, I remember running into Sean Shelby, in the casino walking back to my room after the event, and asking him for more tough fights. I think at that time, I was asking him for Leonard Garcia or somebody crazy who was gonna be a fun matchup for me. I was just chasing fun fights.

Q: Do you recall your first experience watching MMA?
A: My first experience watching mixed martial arts was with my dad renting VHS [tapes] because our VHS movies were at a place where it was the adults-only section in the back. The videos were by the pornos, porno videos and stuff. My dad would get a Ken Shamrock VHS and watch him way back in the day. My dad was a wrestling fan.

Q: Typical walkaround weight between fights?
A: Close to 180 [pounds], give or take; maybe ‘78 to ‘82. Anywhere in between there. … I could touch 183, 184 If I’m on vacation for a week with my family or something like that, but it comes off quick. I would say I’m usually around the high ‘70s, 180. And then I come out here and get in shape. [In the] middle of camp, I’m like 174ish. 

Q: So you’re not a massive lightweight. It sounds like this is where you’d prefer to be comfortably.
A: If there was a middle ground between ‘55 and 170, like if they had 162 or something, I think that would be actually perfect for me because I can get down to 170 pounds dieting before I really start cutting. That’s where I’m at now, waking up. … So, 155 is a good fit, but it’s not fun to get down to weight.

Q: But it’s better than 145 pounds earlier in your career.
A: Oh, yeah, I would never do that again.

Q: Typical weight on fight night?
A: It depends. Usually ‘73, around there; ‘74 maybe.

Q: What’s the food that you have to have after the fight?
A: I mean, we’re fighting in New York. You know I’ve gotta get some pizza.

Q: Favorite fight of yours from your regional days?
A: There’s a Louisiana fighter named Rich Clementi; he also fought in the UFC. He put on a show in the Superdome. Actually, it might have been the first mixed martial arts event inside the Superdome in New Orleans. I fought a guy from Texas there, and it was a back-and-forth, pretty crazy fight. It [was my fifth] amateur [bout]. That was a crazy one, just being in the Superdome, having my family and people there. It was crazy. That was a real memorable fight for me.

Q: Who in MMA do you most admire?
A: There’s a bunch of them, if it’s fighting style or the grit and guts that these guys show. There’s a bunch of different lists. One I’ve always respected was George St-Pierre. I thought he did it right. I thought he kept it very professional, spoke well, fought well, and he was a true martial artist. That’s what drew me to mixed martial arts from the beginning is just that purity of it.

Q: What’s the coolest technique in combat sports?
A: I really love boxing. I love counter punching. I love guys who have great timing and rhythm but also respect the submission game, guys in there like Islam who can go in there, not take any damage, put a guy down, finish the fight, walk away with no scratches, no bruises, no stitches. You gotta respect that.