Dustin Poirier says he would strongly consider coming out of retirement if a fourth fight with Conor McGregor became a realistic possibility.
Poirier retired in 2025 following a fight with Max Holloway but told the Weighing In podcast he has not fully closed the door.
“If it was realistic and they called me and said, ‘Hey,’ I would probably get back in the drug-testing protocol and get licensed again, yeah.”
Poirier went 2-1 in his trilogy with McGregor, with McGregor suffering a broken leg in their third fight at UFC 264 in July 2021 — an injury that triggered his five-year absence. He assessed McGregor’s chances against Max Holloway at UFC 329 on July 11 while noting a specific concern about Holloway’s recent durability.
“Yeah, I don’t think Conor’s going to look as bad as Nate, that was really bad. I think the punching power’s going to be there regardless. The question for me is the timing, the athleticism, the movement, all those questions need to be answered. If his counter-punching and his timing is anywhere near what it was, he has a chance to beat Max. Look, I love Max, but the career he’s had and the longevity he’s had, he’s touched the canvas in his last three fights. That’s more than he’s touched it in his entire career. I just think time’s catching up with him. Conor can punch. No matter how long he’s been out, he still has the great equalizer and that’s power. Some guys are born with it.”
Poirier acknowledged he still has six or seven fights remaining on his UFC contract but said retirement remains the right decision — even if part of him disagrees.
“Some days I wake up and I really feel like this was the right decision, everything’s where it should be. Some days I wake up and I want to fight because I know I can beat these guys still. I don’t know if that ever goes.”
Dustin Poirier says Justin Gaethje’s best chance against Ilia Topuria at UFC Freedom 250 is to force chaos rather than trying to match the champion’s technical precision.
Gaethje holds the interim UFC Lightweight Championship and faces Topuria in a unification bout on June 14 at the White House. Poirier, who has fought both men, told UFC on Paramount+ that the stylistic matchup favors Topuria if the fight stays clean.
“It’s not that I’m rooting against him or anything, I just think it’s a tough stylistic matchup for him. If he’s loose with the big punches he throws, Ilia is so tight, combinations are short and clean. Gaethje just has to clean it up a little bit and like I said in the past, Gaethje has said this leading up to fights, ‘I have to be perfect.’ This fight he has to be perfect because Topuria is so dangerous.”
Poirier identified Gaethje’s leg kicks as a key weapon but warned they need to be set up properly.
“He tore my legs up. He tore Chandler’s. He’s done it to a lot of people. Everything he throws is 100 percent. He can knock him out if he can get Ilia to brawl. But he has to set up those leg kicks. He can’t throw them dry, like empty leg kicks like that. He has to throw punches and finish combinations with leg kicks. Ilia’s too sharp to just throw single legs. He’s going to get counterpunched.”
Poirier concluded that Gaethje needs disorder to land his shot.
“There’s not enough time technically for him to sharpen up and outbox, outpoint Ilia on the feet. He needs it to be chaos, he needs it to be a brawl, and he needs to land that shot. I don’t know if he wins, but that’s his best chance.”
Dustin Poirier says Conor McGregor will have a puncher’s chance against Max Holloway at UFC 329 and warned that Holloway’s chin may finally be showing signs of wear.
Poirier, who has fought both men three times each, going 2-1 in both trilogies, spoke about the July 11 headliner at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on his Deep Waters podcast.
“Conor has the power. No matter the injury that’s going to be there still, the timing — other things matter. But the power is going to be here. This is going to be a firefight. Oliveira was able to smother Holloway, which I was surprised by, because Max is hard to hold down. Conor is going to kickbox with him for 25 minutes. He has a puncher’s chance. Max for sure is a volume puncher, but at 155 when I fought him last, he has power behind his shots, and I’ve got to think at 170 he’s got to have even more power, because Max can punch now. He’s not just a volume puncher. He can finish fights.”
While favoring Holloway overall, Poirier raised a concern about the Hawaiian’s durability heading into the fight.
“The thing that I keep thinking about is in Max’s last three fights, he’s touched the canvas more times than he’s touched his whole career. Gaethje and Topuria dropped him, I dropped him. That’s his last few fights. If Max’s chin is finally catching up to the style of fighting he does, Conor could put him down.”
McGregor, who turns 38 three days after UFC 329, last competed at UFC 264 in July 2021, when he suffered a broken leg in the first round of his trilogy fight with Poirier.
Dustin Poirier says Nate Diaz looked like “dog shit” against Mike Perry at MVP MMA 1 and offered a blunt assessment of where Diaz is at in his career, while reiterating his desire to fight his longtime rival.
Diaz lost to Perry by corner stoppage after the second round on Saturday’s Netflix card. In his post-fight media, Diaz said he has no interest in fighting anyone who is retired — a shot at Poirier, who retired last year. Poirier responded on his show Deep Waters.
“We’ve been circling each other for years and years and years. We could have fought. He knows that. I wish he would be honest with the fans and say he pulled out, or didn’t come to terms with the UFC, whatever it was, for the couple of times we were supposed to fight, that it never happened. But dude, after the way he looked on Saturday night, he can’t talk right now. He needs to take a break. He needs to go get some sleep and rest. Not me, you know. He looked like dog shit. He looked horrible. He looked like he didn’t want to be in there, looked like a punching bag, looked off balance, his timing was horrible. I mean, when somebody loses, I don’t like to shit on them too hard, but he knows. He looked horrible.”
Poirier said his offer to fight Diaz still stands, even if it means coming out of retirement.
“My invitation is still out there. At 170, I’ll go back in the drug testing protocol, whatever. I will knock Nate Diaz complete out. It’s crazy that he’s bringing me up in a post-fight. Apparently, he wants to fight, or he’s thinking about it. And it’s just like, after a performance like that, it’s like, what am I doing? It’s like I’m picking on somebody if I’m chasing Nate Diaz, the way he’s looking. It’s like I’m picking on the easy fight, easy win. But Nate Diaz, I will knock you clean out if we fight.”
Despite the harsh words, Poirier made clear his criticism comes from a place of genuine concern.
“Listen, bro, even though I talk about Nate, and I want to beat his ass, I’m a fan. I’ve been a fan of him and his brother for a long time. But that was the worst I’ve ever seen him. He’s just 41 years old and has a million miles. You can’t keep that fighting style, the way he fights, forever. It’s coming to the end.”
Poirier would need to be released from his UFC contract to pursue a fight with Diaz outside the promotion.
Nate Diaz has responded to Dustin Poirier’s suggestion that he would come out of retirement to fight him, and his answer was not an invitation.
Speaking on The Ariel Helwani Show, Diaz addressed Poirier’s stated willingness to return for a matchup and delivered a blunt assessment of the retired fighter’s credibility as a potential opponent.
“I am interested if he f***ing gets in there and starts fighting people. I don’t fight retired fighters. He jumped ship a little early, so it’s not someone that I’m that interested in. Get back in the game and start squabbling with people. Where the hell did you go? ‘I’ll come back for you now.’ No, don’t come back on account of me. Get some sleep. Get you some sleep.”
Diaz then described the manner of Poirier’s retirement as the core of his problem with the situation.
“He got emotional when he fought somebody, and he’s like, ‘I’m retired. Oh, this was so great.’ A whole fing little lady moment where he needed to talk about his feelings and how he was all done with all this. And then he went, ‘Oh, what the fk did I do?’ Yeah, you were being a btch in your post-fight interview, and you set your gloves down and you shed a tear, and then two weeks later he’s like, ‘I want to fight Nate, I’ll come back for Nate.’ Like, you didn’t even leave, stupid. You f**ing pssed out. Don’t involve me in that sht. Get back in the game and start squabbling.”
Poirier retired following his loss to Max Holloway in Louisiana last year and had previously said on the Deep Waters podcast that a Diaz fight was one he would genuinely come back for given the unfinished business between them. Diaz and Poirier were booked to fight at UFC 230 in November 2018 before Poirier’s hip injury forced the cancellation.
Diaz faces Mike Perry in the co-main event of MVP MMA 1 at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood on Saturday, streaming live on Netflix.
Dustin Poirier believes Khamzat Chimaev walked into UFC 328 carrying an aura that made opponents think twice before they even laced their gloves, and he believes that aura took a significant hit in Newark on Saturday night.
Speaking on UFC on Paramount+ after the show, Poirier explained why the post-fight reconciliation between Chimaev and Strickland bothered him as much as the result itself.
Poirier’s point cuts to the specific thing that made Chimaev different as a competitor. The unbeaten record was part of it, but the relentlessness and the implied danger that he carried into every build was equally significant.
“The next fight, whoever he gets matched up with, it’s going to be tough for him to intimidate because his aura took a hit this week. With the back-and-forth, I thought it was real. I think his whole aura took a hit this week. And putting the belt on Strickland — like, come on, man. They worked us for sure.”
The split decision itself kept things competitive throughout, with all three judges scoring it two rounds apiece heading into the fifth before two of them gave Strickland the final round and the fight. Whether Chimaev receives an immediate rematch or Strickland moves on to another challenger remains to be confirmed by the UFC.
Dustin Poirier has not been retired for 12 months yet, and he is already naming a second opponent he would come back to fight.
Speaking on Paramount’s Deep Waters podcast, Poirier responded to a suggestion from co-host Jorge Masvidal that a fight with Nate Diaz still makes sense, and the response made clear the idea has never left his mind.
“Man, I still want to whip Nate’s a–.”
When Din Thomas suggested Diaz might be the one opponent he would genuinely return for, Poirier did not disagree. He then explained the history behind the fight that never happened, addressing the 2018 Madison Square Garden situation, where the bout fell apart, and Diaz used the circumstances to paint Poirier as the reason.
“I’d come back to fight him because it got away and he lied and the fans were on his side. The UFC knew I was going to fight Nate during our first matchup at Madison Square Garden but Nate was having trouble with his negotiation. I don’t know what was going on but UFC called me and said ‘hey, we want to keep you on the Madison Square Garden card, would you fight so-and-so?’ I said ‘listen, if it’s not Nate I’m not fighting. I’m going to go and have my hip taken care of. If it’s Nate I’ll fight.’ They offered me Kevin Lee, they offered me a few other names. I said ‘I’m going to go have surgery on my hip.’ Then Nate used that to use me as like the fall guy, fight’s off because I pulled out. But I never pulled out, I just didn’t want to fight anyone but Nate. Why not?”
Poirier retired following a loss to Max Holloway in Louisiana last year. He had previously entertained the idea of a third fight with Justin Gaethje. Diaz is currently preparing for his fight against Mike Perry on the MVP MMA card on Netflix on May 16.
Joe Rogan outlined why Netflix represents a fundamentally different kind of competitive threat to the UFC than anything the promotion has faced before.
During a recent episode of the JRE MMA Show, the longtime UFC commentator hosted Dustin Poirier, and the conversation turned to Netflix’s growing push into live sports. They discussed the platform’s expansion into combat sports, highlighted by major boxing events, and its anticipated move into MMA through a partnership with Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions, slated for May 16.
Rogan emphasized that this is not just another promotion trying to compete on the fringes, but a global platform with the financial muscle to potentially reshape the sport’s entire economic landscape. He also pointed to boxing as the model Netflix could replicate: fans follow fighters, not promoters.
“It’s all about the name of the fighters. Just like boxing — nobody cares if it’s Golden Boy or Bob Arum. What they care about is who’s fighting whom. If Netflix can do the boxing thing with big-name stars, they could be a major player, and that will elevate everybody’s pay scale.”
The Contract Expiration Window
Joe Rogan’s most pointed observation was not about the upcoming Netflix MMA card itself, which is expected to feature some of the sport’s most recognizable names, such as Ronda Rousey, Gina Carano, Francis Ngannou, and Nate Diaz.
Instead, the renowned podcaster’s focus was on what could follow if the event proves successful. He highlighted the real threat to the UFC’s dominance as the timing of expiring fighter contracts aligning with a well-funded competitor actively looking to sign top talent.
“If she’s saying this and Netflix listens, and some shrewd businessman goes, ‘A lot of people’s contracts are coming up — when these people’s contracts come up, let’s get into negotiations,’ all of a sudden some people start drifting over.”
He identified UFC welterweight champion Islam Makhachev as a potential domino in that scenario, suggesting that a move from a star of his stature could spark a broader shift among elite contenders.
“If you get an Islam Makhachev who starts leaving and goes to fight on Netflix, and they can talk four or five top major contenders into going, look, it’s a big ask. But if that happens…”
A Safety Net That Didn’t Exist Before
Meanwhile, Dustin Poirier offered a fighter’s perspective on what a more competitive landscape would mean in practical terms. For most of his career, being cut from the UFC did not just mean losing a job, it often meant the possible end of a fighter’s career altogether.
“Ten years ago, they cut you. There’s only one place to make money — they cut you. You’d have to get a job, maybe fight part-time. Now you can pivot and still have a career.”
“The Diamond” added that he holds no ill will toward the UFC and sees only positives in the current multi-organization landscape.
“I love the UFC. I spent most of my professional career there. But I love seeing these other organizations come up and people making money. It lifts everything. It creates more opportunities for fighters. It’s only a good thing.”
Rogan floated an even wilder card at the end of the conversation: YouTube.
“Hey guys, we’re YouTube. We’re even bigger than Netflix because YouTube is everywhere.”
Dustin Poirier recently revealed that the UFC never explained how fighter pay would change following the promotion’s move to Paramount+ under its landmark $7.7 billion deal.
Under its new streaming agreement, the MMA promotion is set to generate roughly $1.1 billion annually, more than doubling its previous earnings under its media deal with ESPN. Traditionally, UFC fighters have competed under show-and-win contracts, receiving a guaranteed purse to appear and an additional bonus for a victory. On top of that, champions and top-tier stars have historically benefited from a share of pay-per-view revenue.
However, with PPV largely phased out in the United States under the new Paramount+ deal, that lucrative revenue stream is disappearing. As a result, some fighters stand to lose a significant portion of their income. According to “The Diamond”, the UFC has yet to clearly outline how the new pay structure will be adjusted to account for these changes.
During a recent appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience MMA Show, Dustin Poirier weighed in on the UFC’s new deal with Paramount+, revealing that despite being one of the promotion’s biggest pay-per-view draws, he has been left without clarity on the current fighter pay structure.
The former interim lightweight champion also noted that he has repeatedly pushed UFC executives for answers, but has yet to receive any meaningful response.
“I’ve been asking every show — I ask everybody. I want to know, because my last few years in the UFC, I was… Nobody’s telling me. They’re keeping me in the dark. What the f*ck is that? Keeping me in the dark, man. I was a pay-per-view partner for multiple fights with the UFC.”
Poirier’s concerns extend beyond just his own pay. He questioned whether the UFC, no longer reliant on selling individual PPVs, will remain as committed to consistently putting together the biggest possible matchups.
“How much is the UFC going to put the biggest fights together? Because they don’t need to sell pay-per-views. They’re guaranteed money,” he said.
PPV Points Were The Entire Promise
For years, the UFC’s PPV revenue share served as the primary incentive for fighters to rise through the ranks while accepting relatively modest base pay.
Dustin Poirier confirmed that this structure was often presented during contract negotiations as a motivating reward, positioned as the ultimate payoff at the end of a long path toward a title opportunity.
Earlier this year, former UFC two-division champion Conor McGregor made a similar argument, declaring his UFC contract essentially void because it was structured around PPV sales that no longer exist.
The broader question of how the UFC’s Paramount windfall flows back to fighters remains unanswered. As MMA News analyzed when the deal was announced, fans likely benefit from increased access while fighters risk losing the PPV upside they had counted on.
Poirier retired in July 2025 following a unanimous decision loss to Max Holloway at UFC 318, but still has fights remaining on his UFC contract. For a fighter who headlined multiple pay-per-view events and built his legacy in the UFC over a decade-plus career, not knowing how pay is structured on the back end of that run is a jarring reality.
Dustin Poirier suffered a broken toe during a training session on February 14, 2026, at American Top Team in Florida.
Poirier showed off the injury on social media. “Broke my damn toe today,” he wrote, accompanied with a video showing off the mangled toe. An audible gasp can be heard from his training partners when he gives them a good look at the damage.
The former interim UFC lightweight champion is still training regularly, leading to the injury. Poirier, who has a professional record of 30-10 with one no contest, retired after his fight against Max Holloway.
Former UFC interim lightweight champion Dustin Poirier is settling into retirement with a new nickname, a new physique, and a fresh perspective on life after combat sports.
Speaking with Ariel Helwani on Monday, the Louisiana native opened up about his transformation from elite lightweight contender to what he jokingly calls “Peptide Papi.”
Retired UFC Star Dustin Poirier Embraces Life as “Peptide Papi” After Calling Time on 16-Year Career
Poirier, who retired in July 2025 following a decision loss to Max Holloway at UFC 318 in New Orleans, has been hitting the weights hard at his home gym, which he has christened “The Silly Goose Fitness Club.” The 36-year-old, who spent most of his career cutting down to 155 pounds, now weighs around 187 pounds and admits he probably couldn’t pass a USADA test.
“I’m Peptide Papi, man. I don’t think I can pass a drug test,” Poirier told Helwani during the interview. “I’m lifting probably five, six days a week. I built a gym at my house – the Silly Goose Fitness Club, we’re not taking applications.”
The weight gain is a significant shift for a fighter who struggled with weight cuts throughout his career. Poirier explained that the constant need to make 155 pounds, and 145 pounds prior to his lightweight jump, prevented him from bulking the way he wanted to.
“I’ve worked out my whole life, but I was always conscious of putting on too much weight, couldn’t eat too many calories, couldn’t lift too heavy, because making 155 was never easy,” Poirier explained. “Now that I don’t have to make weight, I can eat all the carbs and calories I want, I can lift heavy. I’m just trying to see where my body balances out at.”
In the context of performance enhancement, athletes sometimes use peptides to stimulate muscle growth, increase strength, and speed up recovery from training. These compounds are banned by most sports organizations, including the UFC’s USADA anti-doping program.
The Lafayette native has been training alongside his friend Kyle at his home gym five to six days per week, embracing the freedom to build muscle without worrying about weight classes or USADA testing. Before his retirement fight, Poirier had joked with ESPN about getting “on steroids” once USADA stopped knocking on his door.
Dustin Poirier on Sobriety
While the physical transformation has been visible on social media, Poirier also addressed a more serious aspect of his retirement journey. In November, he posted cryptically about “soul searching” and making changes, later clarifying in the comments that he was committing to sobriety. During his interview with Helwani, Poirier provided context for that decision.
“I had retired and had so much time on my hands, and I’m always battling something in my mind,” Poirier said. “I’ve always drank alcohol growing up, but it was celebratory – vacation, get-togethers, things like that. Now I’m retired and I’m sitting at home and I can have a drink every day. I don’t have to wake up and run miles, I don’t have to wake up and go to the gym or be somewhere. I just wanted to pull back from drinking.”
Poirier emphasized that he does not have an alcohol problem but wanted to stay ahead of potential issues. He completed roughly 40 days of sobriety leading up to New Year’s, when he had champagne to celebrate. The former fighter explained that he enjoys bourbon and whiskey but recognized the danger of slipping into daily drinking habits without the structure of training camps.
“I’m not going to be sober my whole life – for New Year’s I drank champagne – I just wanted to take a step back because that can get ugly quick,” Poirier said. “We’ve seen it before. When your hands are full every day trying to be the best at something and then boom, it’s gone, you’re retired, you have a lot of time on your hands. I just wanted to be smart.”
Dustin Poirier has shared his prediction for the Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford showdown.
The highly anticipated Alvarez vs. Crawford clash takes place tonight (Saturday, September 13) at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Mexican boxing superstar will put his undisputed super middleweight belts (WBA, WBC, IBF, and WBO) on the line against the undefeated Crawford, the former undisputed welterweight and light welterweight champion who has moved up two weight classes in pursuit of greatness at 168 pounds.
The marquee bout takes on added weight as it marks the debut of Zuffa Boxing. The historic card is being promoted by UFC CEO Dana White under the TKO banner, in collaboration with Saudi Arabian sports chief Turki Alalshikh.
Image: @Zuffa_Boxing/X
Dustin Poirier Predicts Terence Crawford Will Pull Off An Upset Against Canelo Alvarez
According to BetOnline.ag, heading into fight night the defending undisputed super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez is listed as a solid -170 favorite, while Terence Crawford stands as a +140 underdog looking to overturn the odds.
However, former UFC interim lightweight champion Poirier bucks the consensus of oddsmakers and combat sports analysts, predicting “Bud” Crawford will outbox Alvarez and pull off a shocking upset tonight to achieve three-division undisputed glory.
“I’m thinking Crawford for the upset tonight,” Poirier wrote on X.
Canelo Alvarez enters this bout fresh off a unanimous decision victory over William Skull this past May, successfully defending his 168-pound titles. The 35-year-old from Guadalajara boasts an impressive professional record of 63-2-2, including 39 knockouts against elite opponents such as Caleb Plant, Billy Joe Saunders, and Amir Khan.
His last defeat came in May 2022, a hard-fought unanimous decision loss to the now-undisputed light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol.
Meanwhile, Terence Crawford returns to the ring after a year-long hiatus. The 37-year-old Nebraska native last stepped into the squared circle in August 2024, securing a unanimous decision victory over Israil Madrimov to capture the WBA and vacant WBO interim light middleweight titles.
“Bud” remains unbeaten in his professional career, boasting a flawless 41-0 record with 31 wins by knockout. His victories include formidable opponents such as Errol Spence Jr., José Benavidez Jr., and David Avanesyan.
Having already bested Holloway twice in their previous meetings, “The Diamond” concluded his UFC journey with a spirited unanimous decision loss in a back-and-forth clash for the symbolic BMF title, capping off a storied career with a performance that resonated deeply with fans and marked a fitting farewell.
Although Dustin Poirier fell short in three attempts to capture the undisputed lightweight title, he walks away from the sport as one of the most revered and accomplished fighters of his generation. Now, less than two weeks removed from his retirement bout, “The Diamond” appears to have set his sights on the next chapter of his journey.
Image: @ufc/Instagram
Dustin Poirier Embraces Post Fight Career With ESPN Broadcasting Role
On Thursday, Dustin Poirier took to social media to share that he’s gearing up to follow in the footsteps of fellow former UFC champions like Michael Bisping and Daniel Cormier as he sets his sights on joining ESPN’s broadcasting team.
“Looking forward to getting back on the ESPN desk going to start focusing on that now,” Poirier wrote on X.
Looking forward to getting back on the ESPN desk going to start focusing on that now.
“The Diamond” first stepped into the analyst role at UFC 287 in April 2023, joining Din Thomas and ESPN’s Brett Okamoto. He later returned to the desk at UFC 303 in June 2024, where he was joined by Teddy Atlas, Chael Sonnen, and Brendan Fitzgerald. Most recently, Poirier continued to showcase his analytical chops during the UFC 314 broadcast in April.
The UFC brought a night of action to the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana, to celebrate an MMA legend as he rode into the sunset following UFC 318.
It was the UFC’s seventh visit to the Big Easy and its second event at the Smoothie King Center. The last time the UFC was in this building a UFC Fight Night card in June 2015 that saw Dan Henderson knock out Tim Boetsch in just 29 seconds.
That card also featured Dustin Poirier, and UFC 318 saw him in main event capacity, being celebrated for the end of an accomplished and widely-praised career with plenty of accolades. Poirier’s final fight saw him face Max Holloway with Holloway’s BMF title on the line.
Holloway had been the BMF champion since UFC 300, when he knocked out Justin Gaethje in the 2024 Knockout of the Year. Holloway, however, was coming into this fight off a loss, unsuccessful in challenging Ilia Topuria for the UFC featherweight title at UFC 308 last fall.
Poirier, who made his MMA debut in 2009 before debuting in the UFC on New Year’s Day 2011, also came in off his own successful title challenge, coming up short against Islam Makhachev at UFC 302 last year.
The co-main event saw former middleweight title challenge Paulo Costa, who had lost four of five, look to rebound against the up-and-coming Roman Kopylov.
Who came out on top? Who disappointed? Find it all out here with the hits and misses of UFC 318!
Hit – 6 Straight Prelim Finishes To Start The Night
There were plenty of concerns about the name value quality of this UFC pay-per-view card. But in terms of how the fights actually played out, however, several of the preliminary card fighters need to be shown some praise for their performances.
The early prelims, in fact, went 5-for-5 in finishes. It all started with Carli Judice putting on a clinic before putting Nicolle Caliari out with a solid knee to the body. Then came three straight submissions, with Brunno Ferreira, Ryan Spann, and Jimmy Crute all finding success in the first round. Spann and Crute’s performances were highlighted in particular — Spann scored a win at heavyweight in his second attempt, while Crute got a victory in the Octagon for the first time since 2020.
Starting out with some BIG finishes in the Bayou 🐊
Then came the UFC debut of Islam Dulatov, and he made the anticipation worth it with his first-round knockout of Adam Fugitt.
To top it off, Ateba Gautier needed just 70 seconds to put away Robert Valentin to open up the televised portion of the prelims.
This isn’t to say the rest of the card was bad. But to see these kinds of finishes when there were plenty of questions about the card’s quality is a solid answer to those concerns.
Hit – Michael Johnson Shows Age Is Just A Number
It seems old-man strength is prevalent in the UFC right now. Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson, it’s unanimously agreed, was robbed of a win against Gabriel Bonfim at UFC Nashville last week — the same card headlined by 40-year-old Derrick Lewis taking the “0” away from Tallison Teixeira.
And once again, against an up-and-comer, Michael Johnson brings out a vintage impressive performance, as he defeated Daniel Zellhuber to open the pay-per-view portion of the event.
While the fight between the pair started with a back-and-forth striking battle, Johnson took the momentum by dropping Zellhuber in the second round. Johnson then fought tactically and worked over Zellhuber’s body and neutralized his speed en route to a decision win.
Johnson’s not going to challenge for the lightweight title at anytime soon, but it’s definitely fun to still see him in there putting on fun and competitive showings the very best in this sport. And I can’t wait for the next one.
Miss – Patricio Pitbull Wins But Fails To Impress Again
I’m going to start by saying I think it was a little ridiculous that we saw the New Orleans crowd booing this matchup and people on social media saying Dan Ige vs. Patricio Pitbull was the worst fight ever. Do we not remember the likes of Kimbo Slice vs. Dada 5000 and Francis Ngannou vs. Derrick Lewis?
But that doesn’t mean the fight didn’t live to what it could have been. I wish Ige and Pitbull’s fight was more exciting. And while Pitbull had the best round of his UFC tenure so far (not saying much), the outing between him and a lower-ranked featherweight contender in Ige doesn’t scream improvement.
That's how you bounce back 👋@PatricioPitbull wins the UD to earn his first UFC victory!
For me, I don’t know if I’d give Ige a shot against another one of these other UFC contenders yet. Whether you think Ige still should have a ranking or not (and I say that with still holding high respect for the man), and whether you think Pitbull should face another ranked featherweight or not, I think there’s one fight more worth it.
Aaron Pico is about to debut in the UFC, but he just lost his intended debut opponent — the highly-ranked Movsar Evloev. Given what Patchy Mix and Patricio Pitbull have done thus far in the UFC, and that Evloev should be in line for a title shot instead, I think a Pitbull vs. Pico matchup would be an awesome idea. And Pitbull seems to agree.
Your move, UFC.
Hit – Kevin Holland and Daniel Rodriguez Bring Round of the Year contender
We should have gotten this matchup a few years ago at UFC 279, but Khamzat Chimaev’s weight miss for that event brought absolute chaos that robbed us.
Three years later, it was definitely worth the wait to see Kevin Holland vs. Daniel Rodriguez play out — and big ups to D-Rod for winning it.
After wobbling Holland a bit early in the first, D-Rod followed it up by dropping Holland twice in the second. To Holland’s credit, he responded by nearly locking in an armbar and D’Arce choke while scoring a pair of takedowns on Rodriguez.
A HUGE ranked win for him 🤝@DRODUFC earns the UD victory inside the Octagon!
Holland then stunned Rodriguez with an uppercut before threatening another choke. Holland tried to pressure, and D-Rod answered with his own pressure. Both had another submission attempt, and D-Rod got mount in the bout’s final minute.
My brief descriptions don’t do this justice though — you need to watch the second and third rounds, the third especially, for yourself!
Hit – Paulo Costa Is Back?
I’ll give credit where it’s due: Paulo Costa looked back to the Costa we saw rise through the middleweight rankings in the late 2010s.
Costa mixed up his striking throughout his battle with Roman Kopylov, making Kopylov unable to guess what was coming next and troubling him. Costa would even rock Kopylov late in the first round before doing so again twice in the second. Costa was troubled in the third, getting wobbled himself, but he outlasted the stun and fatigue to work his way to a decision win.
Now it’s time to see if Costa is really back or if this was a one-time thing. And looking at the rankings, a matchup with Brendan Allen could be an interesting idea for his next fight. Perhaps Reiner de Ridder could be an opponent, too, should he lose to Robert Whittaker this coming weekend.
Hit – Max Holloway Still The BMF
If you’ve ever talked to Max Holloway outside of the cage, you know he’s one of the chillest dudes. But in the cage, he’s a bad, bad man. And he showed that with the war he and Poirier put on in the main event.
After a measured start, Holloway dropped Poirier in the first and second rounds, nearly finishing him both times. Poirier, however, showed grit by rallying back with big shots of his own. He’d knock Holloway down in round two and nearly was able to get a guillotine.
The later rounds featured momentum swings, with Holloway using combinations and movement while Poirier responded with pressure and body shots. The fifth round saw the two exchange in classic BMF fashion, including another throw down in the center — albeit one that saw Poirier clinch up.
Holloway called out Ilia Topuria for a rematch, this time at lightweight, but I don’t know if that’s the plan. If Islam Makhachev wins the welterweight title (hopefully that match comes later this year), I think the MMA community (hopefully including the UFC) wants to see that matchup made for 2026.
If the BMF belt really is staying around, let’s have Holloway defend it again. And if he’s sticking to lightweight, perhaps a matchup with Charles Oliveira (above Holloway in the rankings) or Dan Hooker (just below him in the rankings) could do battle? Or for something wild, if only because Michael Chandler is out of title contention and you still want him to do something before a potential Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler White House battle, you could do Holloway vs. Chandler.
Miss – FOTN: Allen vs. Vettori over Holloway vs. Poirier Or Rodriguez vs. Holland?
Really? Like, really? We sure about this? Because I don’t know about this one, chief.
We had Holloway vs. Poirier (a retiring Poirier, mind you) putting on an entertaining battle with plenty of moments and left everyone celebrating the two. We had Kevin Holland and Daniel Rodriguez putting on a wild back-and-forth battle.
But Marvin Vettori vs. Brendan Allen gets Fight of the Night honors? It was a fine fight, but if we’re talking about — by its name — THE Fight of the Night, one of those other two should have taken it.
I know that the fighters who compete lower on the card could use more of the post-fight bonuses due to the UFC’s pay structure. That’s not wrong. But when it’s called Fight of the Night and you don’t give it to one of the best fights on the night…then what are we doing?
It’s just another example of how the pay structure in MMA is kind of screwed up.
Hit – Thank you, Diamond…
I don’t think anything else needs to be said. All the hits and then some to this absolute legend of the game.
Poirier has been one of the most entertaining, all-around fighters I have ever watched. He is a scrappy fighter who made the most of the moments that came his way. He’s had plenty of entertaining fights and finishes.
And his resume speaks for itself. The wars he has had with the likes of Holloway, Conor McGregor, Justin Gaethje, Eddie Alvarez, and more are enough to show you just how amazing this man has been in the Octagon.
And outside of the Octagon, this man is a class act.
I’ll tell a personal story. I got to meet Dustin Poirier while attending the 2022 Dr. Atlas Foundation Dinner. The class act this man was other level. He was willing to chat (I mentioned that he didn’t have a scratch on him and this was less than 10 days or so after his fight with Michael Chandler at MSG), he donated for the foundation, and he was so personable.
And if you saw what everyone — from his family, to his fellow fighters, to commentators of the sport — have to say about Dustin Poirier, he’s a legend inside and outside of the cage.
Dustin Poirier says he wasn’t willing to gamble everything in the closing seconds of his fight with Max Holloway.
Poirier officially brought the curtain down on his legendary career this past Saturday, headlining UFC 318 in front of a hometown crowd in New Orleans, Louisiana, in a highly anticipated trilogy bout against reigning BMF champion Max Holloway.
“The Diamond” delivered another instant classic, going toe-to-toe with Holloway in a five-round battle where both men scored knockdowns. But it was “Blessed” who looked sharper overall, dictating the action with his trademark pace and relentless pressure to take control of the fight.
Although the former interim lightweight champion found pockets of success, Poirier couldn’t quite shift the momentum in his favor. Holloway spoiled his farewell by halting the trilogy sweep, earning the nod on all three scorecards in a hard-fought war.
Image: @ufc/X
In the final moments, Max Holloway flashed his signature point-down gesture, inviting a wild brawl in the center of the Octagon. Dustin Poirier obliged, but after absorbing a couple of heavy shots, he wisely switched gears and closed the distance with a clinch. The two veterans remained tied up until the final bell.
Dustin Poirier Felt Max Holloway’s Power And Chose To Clinch In UFC 318’s Final Exchange
At the UFC 318 post-fight press conference, Dustin Poirier shed light on the dramatic closing seconds of his farewell bout against Max Holloway. When “Blessed” signaled for a final firefight, Poirier was game at first. But after absorbing a few stinging shots, “The Diamond” opted for caution over chaos, initiating a clinch to ride out the final seconds and avoid a potentially dangerous exchange.
“I wanted to do it [the point-down scrap], you know,” Dustin Poirier said. “That’s why I looked up at the clock like ‘when are we doing this’. You saw me looking at the clock a few times and saying ‘that’s 25 seconds left? Not time yet’. Then he pointed down and I said ‘yeah, I’ll oblige’ and he hit me with a few shots. So I said ‘okay, we’re going to wrestle a little bit, let me clinch up’. There’s only eight seconds left.”
Holloway delivered a last-second knockout against Justin Gaethje after prompting a chaotic slugfest with his signature point-down taunt at UFC 300 in April 2024. It’s likely that “The Diamond” had that highlight in mind and with his own retirement on the line, he wasn’t about to risk going out the same way.
“The Diamond” did not go out the BMF champion, but he shined bright to the very end.
Max Holloway finally scored a victory over Dustin Poirier in the third and final bout of their series, retaining the BMF title in the main event of UFC 318 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
The two took the first couple of minutes to feel the other out and gain a rhythm, throwing single shots. A right hand from Holloway caught Poirier and dropped him. Holloway looked for a quick ending, but Poirier survived the small onslaught and backed Holloway up with shots of his own. Holloway continued to get the better of Poirier in the round, but Poirier seemed to have a response to fire back with.
Poirier tried to get to a quick start in the second, as he tried to match Holloway beat-to-beat and tempo-to-tempo. Poirier landed a strong knee and right hand that seemed to do damage. Holloway, however, then troubled Poirier with an uppercut that rocked him, putting Poirier down. Holloway jumped into mount, but Poirier survived the onslaught. Poirier landed a strong combination that caught Holloway’s attention in the last minute of the second round, and then knocked Holloway down with a left hand and catching him in a guillotine attempt.
The third round showed a bit of a slower pace. Holloway backed Poirier up with a notable combination; however, Poirier did some noteworthy damage to the body in the closing stages of the round, forcing Holloway back. The fourth round saw Holloway work his combinations, while Poirier troubled him with forward pressure and powerful single shots.
The fifth round was heart-stopping back-and-forth action, as the two traded single shots and combinations before the final 10 seconds, where Holloway got the better of Poirier and forced him to clinch up.
How do you describe it? Poirier deserves all the love in the world for countless reasons. But let's highlight how phenomenal Holloway still is and continues to show with improvement each fight. Legends, those dudes. What a wild trilogy.
Poirier’s professional MMA career began in 2009, going 7-0 before a pair of fights in the WEC. Poirier then made his UFC debut on New Year’s Day 2011 at UFC 125, taking on a who’s who of legendary fighters that included Chan Sung-Jung, Conor McGregor, Jim Miller, Eddie Alvarez, Anthony Pettis, Justin Gaethje, and more.
Poirier, who retires from MMA at 30-10 1 (NC), won the interim UFC lightweight championship by defeating Holloway at UFC 236. Poirier’s other career highlight is his pair of victories over McGregor in 2021.
Holloway becomes the first man to successfully retain the BMF title. He called out new lightweight champion Ilia Topuria, who became the first man to knock Holloway out at UFC 308.
Dustin Poirier thinks it would’ve meant a lot to have Joe Rogan on commentary for his final UFC fight.
“The Diamond” is set to make his final walk to the Octagon this Saturday in the main event of UFC 318, where he’ll cap off his storied career with a trilogy showdown against reigning BMF titleholder Max Holloway. The farewell will take place in front of his hometown crowd at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Rogan has been the voice behind countless iconic UFC moments over the years, and his absence from Dustin Poirier’s swan song at UFC 318 feels like a notable omission. Breaking from his usual routine, especially for a U.S.-based pay-per-view, Rogan is not on commentary duty tonight.
While no official reason has been given for his absence, the veteran broadcaster has been replaced by former UFC lightweight Paul Felder, who joins longtime play-by-play man Jon Anik and UFC Hall of Famer Daniel Cormier to complete the broadcast team.
Image: UFC/YouTube
Dustin Poirier Grateful To Have Fellow Louisianan Daniel Cormier Calling UFC 318 In Joe Rogan’s Absence
Speaking to reporters ahead of UFC 318, Dustin Poirier addressed Joe Rogan’s absence from the broadcast. The former interim lightweight champion admitted it would’ve been special to have Rogan call his final bout but expressed gratitude that fellow Lafayette native Daniel Cormier will be part of the commentary team on such a meaningful night.
“Closing it out with Rogan would be cool, but also, DC, the legend he is, and the Louisiana Sports Hall of Famer he is, just everything he brings is awesome to be able to talk to him when it’s all said and done,” Dustin Poirier said. “[He’s] another Louisiana boy in New Orleans so, it’s special.”
“The Diamond” is slated for his second shot at the BMF title, hoping to rewrite the narrative after a brutal setback in his first attempt. That opportunity came at UFC 291 in July 2023, where Poirier fell to a crushing head kick knockout delivered by Justin Gaethje.
Poirier will aim to complete a clean sweep in his trilogy with Max Holloway, having already bested the Hawaiian twice before. Their first meeting at UFC 143 in February 2012 ended with Poirier securing a submission win, while their rematch at UFC 236 in April 2019 saw “The Diamond” emerge victorious once again, this time after a five-round battle to capture the interim lightweight championship.
UFC 318 took place tonight from the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana and MMA News has you covered with all the results and highlights!
In the main event, lightweights Max Holloway and Dustin Poirier faced off for the BMF title. While in the co-main event, Paulo Costa took on Roman Kopylov in a middleweight matchup.
UFC 318 Results: Main Card
Lightweight: BMF Championship: Max Holloway def. Dustin Poirier via unanimous decision (48-47, 49-46×2)
Middleweight: Paulo Costa def. Roman Kopylov via unanimous decision (30-27×2, 29-28)
Welterweight: Daniel Rodriguez def. Kevin Holland via unanimous decision (29-28×3)
Featherweight: Patricio Pitbull def. Dan Ige via unanimous decision (29-28×3)
Lightweight: Michael Johnson def. Daniel Zellhuber via unanimous decision (29-28×3)
Preliminary Card
Bantamweight: Vinicius Oliveira def. Kyler Phillips via unanimous decision (29-28×3)
Middleweight: Brendan Allen def. Marvin Vettori via unanimous decision (30-27×2, 29-28)
Welterweight: Nikolay Veretennikov def. Francisco Prado via split decision (29-28×2, 28-29)
Middleweight: Ateba Abega Gautier def. Robert Valentin via TKO: R1, 1.10
Early Preliminary Card
Welterweight: Islam Dulatov def. Adam Fugitt via KO: R1, 4.06
Light Heavyweight: Jimmy Crute def. Marcin Prachnio via submission: R1, 4.42
Heavyweight: Ryan Spann def. Łukasz Brzeski via submission: R1, 2.41
Middleweight: Brunno Ferreira def. Jackson McVey via submission: R1, 3.35
UFC 318 is almost here, and we here at MMA News are here to provide you the latest on betting odds for the card.
The card takes place from the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana, on Saturday, July 19. The pay-per-view main card portion of the event will start at 10PM ET/7PM PT, with preliminary action starting at 6PM ET/3PM PT
The headline attraction for the event will feature the final fight in the career of Dustin Poirier, as he challenges Max Holloway for the BMF championship.
In the co-main event, former middleweight title challenger Paulo Costa faces Roman Kopylov.
The pay-per-view card will also feature Kevin Holland facing Daniel Rodriguez, Dan Ige clashing with former Bellator champion Patricio Pitbull, and Michael Johnson meeting Daniel Zellhuber.
UFC 318: Holloway vs. Poirier 3 Betting Odds
Listed below are the latest betting odds for UFC 318 as of July 18 at 8pm ET, courtesy of DraftKings.
Main Card:
Lightweight: BMF Championship: Max Holloway (-142) vs. Dustin Poirier (+120)
Middleweight: Paulo Costa (+190) vs. Roman Kopylov (-230)
Welterweight: Kevin Holland (-625) vs. Daniel Rodriguez (+455)
Featherweight: Dan Ige (-225) vs. Patricio Pitbull (+185)
Lightweight: Michael Johnson (+455) vs. Daniel Zellhuber (-625)
Preliminary Card:
Bantamweight: Kyler Phillips (+124) vs. Vinicius Oliveira (-148)
Middleweight: Marvin Vettori (+164) vs. Brendan Allen (-198)
Welterweight: Francisco Prado (-148) vs. Nikolay Veretennikov (+124)
Middleweight: Ateba Abega Gautier (-550) vs. Robert Valentin (+410)
Early Preliminary Card:
Welterweight: Adam Fugitt (+470) vs. Islam Dulatov (-650)
Light Heavyweight: Jimmy Crute (-355) vs. Marcin Prachnio (+280)
Heavyweight: Ryan Spann (-245) vs. Łukasz Brzeski (+200)
Middleweight: Brunno Ferreira (-550) vs. Jackson McVey (+410)
Women’s Flyweight: Carli Judice (-395) vs. Nicolle Caliari (+310)
We’re about 24 hours away from UFC 318, and MMA News is here to bring you the video from the ceremonial weigh-ins for the card!
UFC 318 takes place on July 19 from the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana.
The main event of the evening will feature Dustin Poirier, who makes the Octagon walk for the final time, challenge familiar foe Max Holloway to a trilogy bout with the BMF title on the line. Poirier is 2-0 against Holloway, having bested him at both UFC 143 and UFC 236. Poirier enters this fight off a loss in a lightweight title fight with Islam Makhachev at UFC 302. Holloway won the BMF title from Justin Gaethje at UFC 300 but was knocked out by Ilia Topuria in a featherweight title clash at UFC 308.
The co-main event will see former middleweight title challenge Paulo Costa look to get back on winning ways against Roman Kopylov.
The rest of the main card sees Kevin Holland face Daniel Rodriguez, Dan Ige take on Patricio Pitbull, and Michael Johnson square off with Daniel Zellhuber.
All fighters for the card made weight. All the fights are on!
The ceremonial weigh-ins present the last opportunity for opponents to face off before they meet inside the Octagon. Check them out below via the UFC’s official YouTube channel!
We are just one day away from UFC 318, and we’ve got the official weigh-in results for you here at MMA News.
UFC 318 takes place from the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. And in the main event, the UFC’s BMF title will be up for grabs again as New Orleans’ favorite MMA son takes his final walk to the Octagon — against another beloved MMA legend.
In the main event, BMF champion Max Holloway will place the title on the line as he faces Dustin Poirier in a trilogy bout. Poirier has won both fights in the set thus far, submitting Holloway at UFC 143 in Holloway’s UFC debut and scoring a decision over “Blessed” at UFC 236 to capture the interim lightweight title. Both men come into this bout off unsuccessful title challenges, with Poirier losing to Islam Makhachev at UFC 302 and Holloway losing to Ilia Topuria at UFC 308.
The co-main event will see former middleweight title challenger Paulo Costa back in action, as he takes on Roman Kopylov. Costa has lost four of his last five — after starting his MMA career undefeated — losing to former champions Robert Whittaker and Sean Strickland last year. Kopylov has won six of his last seven, including a finish of Chris Curtis in January.
The main card will also feature Kevin Holland vs. Daniel Rodriguez, Dan Ige vs. Patricio Pitbull, and Michael Johnson vs. Daniel Zellhuber.
UFC 318 Weigh-In Video, Results
UFC 318 takes place Saturday, July 19 at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. The main card begins at 10 PM ET/7 PM PT, with the preliminary card starting at 6 PM ET/3 PM PT.
See above to watch the UFC 318 Weigh-In Show (beginning at 9:45 a.m. ET), and check out the full results below.
Main Card:
Lightweight: BMF Championship: Max Holloway (155) vs. Dustin Poirier (156)*
Middleweight: Paulo Costa (185) vs. Roman Kopylov (185)
Welterweight: Kevin Holland (170) vs. Daniel Rodriguez (170)
Featherweight: Dan Ige (145) vs. Patricio Pitbull (145)
Lightweight: Michael Johnson (155) vs. Daniel Zellhuber (156)
Preliminary Card:
Bantamweight: Kyler Phillips (135) vs. Vinicius Oliveira (135)
Middleweight: Marvin Vettori (186) vs. Brendan Allen (185)
Welterweight: Francisco Prado (170) vs. Nikolay Veretennikov (169)
Middleweight: Ateba Abega Gautier (185) vs. Robert Valentin (186)
Early Preliminary Card:
Welterweight: Adam Fugitt (171) vs. Islam Dulatov (171)
Light Heavyweight: Jimmy Crute (205) vs. Marcin Prachnio (205)
Heavyweight: Ryan Spann (252) vs. Łukasz Brzeski (242)
Middleweight: Brunno Ferreira (186) vs. Jackson McVey (185)
Women’s Flyweight: Carli Judice (125) vs. Nicolle Caliari (126)
*Holloway and Poirier are allowed to weigh in at 156 due to the BMF not being a “true division”, as compared to division-specific titles
Dustin Poirier will hope for his final UFC fight to be one that’s memorable — and he’ll get that with UFC 318, as he challenges Max Holloway for the BMF title in a trilogy bout that headlines the evening.
The moments won’t stop there for the Louisiana native, however.
On Wednesday, July 16, Poirier announced that legendary rapper Lil’ Wayne, who is also from Louisiana, will be accompanying him for his final walk-out.
“[Lil’] Wayne is walking me out, 100 percent,” Poirier said.
Lil’ Wayne To Lead Dustin Poirier To The Cage For Retirement Fight At UFC 318
This will be the third and final encounter between Poirier and Holloway, with “The Diamond” up 2-0. Poirier first met Holloway at UFC 143 — when a 4-0 and 20-year-old Holloway was making his UFC debut. Poirier submitted “Blessed” in the first round. Poirier and Holloway then faced off at UFC 236, with Poirier taking a decision over the then-featherweight champion to become interim UFC lightweight champion.
Poirier enters this fight off a loss to Islam Makhachev in a lightweight title fight that headlined UFC 302.
Holloway was finished for the first time since the original loss to Poirier — and knocked out for the first time in his career — when he faced Ilia Topuria for the featherweight title at UFC 308.
Holloway has been BMF champion since UFC 300, where he knocked out Justin Gaethje in highlight fashion. Gaethje had been champion since UFC 291, where he knocked out Poirier for the belt.
We’re in the middle of UFC 318 fight week, and we find ourselves just a couple of days away from Dustin Poirier making his final walk to the Octagon. Time to add to the build, and get some more hype around this card, with a good ol’ fashion question-and-answer session.
The seventh UFC pay-per-view event of the year goes down from the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana, on Saturday, July 19. UFC 318 will be headlined by a BMF title fight between defending champion Max Holloway and Poirier.
The co-main event will be a middleweight matchup that sees former title challenger Paulo Costa taking on up-and-comer Roman Kopylov.
The main card will also feature a welterweight matchup between Kevin Holland and Daniel Rodriguez, the second UFC appearance of former Bellator featherweight and lightweight champion Patricio Pitbull (as he takes on Dan Ige), and Michael Johnson meeting Daniel Zellhuber in a lightweight matchup.
Watch The UFC 318: Max Holloway vs. Dustin Poirier 3 Pre-Fight Press Conference
As per tradition, the UFC pay-per-view main card participants will be featured in a press conference during fight week. This is the opportunity for fighters to answer questions from media and fans, as well as potentially lay in some smack talk on their opponents.
UFC legend Dustin Poirier has spoken about how he’s been preparing for the last fight of his mixed martial arts career this weekend at UFC 318.
On Saturday night, Dustin Poirier will make the walk to the octagon for one last time. He will do so against Max Holloway, with ‘The Diamond’ hoping to go out by capturing the BMF championship. He currently holds a 2-0 record over Holloway in his career but as we know, ‘Blessed’ has gotten a lot better since the last time they fought – even if some people don’t want to believe that.
Dustin Poirier is a fan favorite and that much is an understatement. He has done some wonderful things for the sport of mixed martial arts and although he never claimed an undisputed title, that really doesn’t matter when you consider the body of work he produced.
He’s a legend of the game and you won’t find too many people who would disagree with that. In a recent interview, Dustin Poirier spoke openly about what he’s been doing in order to get ready for this final test.
Dustin Poirier reveals his current carnivore diet
“I’m ninety-something days completely sober – no alcohol, no marijuana. And for the last four, five months, I’ve kind of done the carnivore thing: meat and berries, little vegetables. Dude, I’m in the best shape ever. This is the lightest I’ve ever shown up to fight week.”
One thing we know for sure is this: DP is going to bring the best version of himself to the cage on Saturday in New Orleans.
UFC 318 fight week is here, which means we are now days away from the final Octagon walk for a UFC legend in his hometown. Get yourself ready and in the know with another edition of MMA News staff fight predictions.
The event will be available exclusively on ESPN+ pay-per-view on Saturday, July 19. The main card will begin at its usual 10pm ET start time, with preliminary card action kicking off at 6pm ET.
The main event will see a highly-anticipated trilogy bout between two beloved fighters, as BMF champion Max Holloway defends the title against Dustin Poirier, who will be retiring following the fight.
Poirier comes into this fight 2-0 against “Blessed.” “The Diamond” faced Holloway at featherweight at UFC 143, which marked the UFC debut for then-20-year-old Holloway. Poirier submitted Holloway in the first round. The two then met in the main event of UFC 236, which marked Holloway’s first lightweight bout in the UFC. Poirier defeated the then-featherweight champion by decision, claiming the interim lightweight title.
Both men enter this fight off losses. Poirier was unsuccessful in challenging then-lightweight champion Islam Makhachev at UFC 302. Holloway, meanwhile, was knocked out for the first time in his career against then-featherweight champion (and now new lightweight king) Ilia Topuria at UFC 308.
The co-main event will feature Paulo Costa taking on Roman Kopylov in middleweight action. This fight was scheduled to take place at UFC 317 last month before being moved to this card. Costa fought twice in 2024, losing to former middleweight champs Robert Whittaker and Sean Strickland, making it four losses in Costa’s last five fights. It was Costa’s first time fighting more than once in a year since 2017. Kopylov, meanwhile, has won six of his last seven, most recently scoring a third-round TKO of Chris Curtis in January.
The rest of the UFC 318 main card will see a welterweight bout between Kevin Holland and Daniel Rodriguez, Patricio Pitbull facing Dan Ige in the former Bellator champ’s second UFC appearance, and Michael Johnson facing Daniel Zellhuber.
UFC 318: MMA News Staff Predictions
With UFC 318 just a couple of short days away, Ryan Jarrell, Pranav Pandey, and myself (Thomas Albano) have provided our picks for the fights that make up the main card.
Below, you can check out the current leaderboard through seven cards in 2025.
Pranav Pandey (20-12) Thomas Albano (19-13)
Ryan Jarrell (18-14)
And now, let’s take a look at everyone’s picks for UFC 318!
Lightweight: Michael Johnson vs. Daniel Zellhuber
Images: UFC.com
Pranav Pandey: This is one of those classic crossroads matchups where two generations collide. Zellhuber is on the rise, and even his razor-thin split decision loss to Esteban Ribovics did more to raise his stock than to diminish it. He’s scrappy when the pace picks up, and he also possesses a finishing instinct that can swing a fight in his favor.
On the other side, Johnson is the ultimate spoiler. He’s derailed the momentum of elite names in the past and has quietly looked sharper in his recent outings. Give him even a small opening, and he’ll use his experience to take control of a fight. However, I’m not convinced he can match fire with fire against a younger, faster “Golden Boy.” For me, this feels like a straightforward pick. I’m backing Zellhuber to outpace Johnson and make a statement against a seasoned veteran. (Prediction: Zellhuber)
Thomas Albano: Michael Johnson is always a pleasure to see fight. Though he never reached the pinnacle in his career, he’s usually in competitive outings even today and is always a tough test for an up-and-comer. So, this is going to be a good test for Daniel Zellhuber in the wake of his loss to Esteban Ribovics in the 2024 Fight of the Year. Johnson might be able to take a punch and fire one back, presenting a strong back-and-forth battle, but Zellhuber is younger, quicker, and has the advantages in reach and height. Johnson may have power, but he’ll need a chin, an aggressive pace, and then some to match the volume and speed of Zellhuber. I don’t think “The Menace” does that. Give me Zellhuber – either via a finish in the second half of the fight or a strong decision win. (Prediction: Zellhuber)
Ryan Jarrell: If this fight was happening circa 2015 I would have a very different take. But we are midway through 2025 now, and Michael Johnson is almost 40 years old. “The Menace” is not nearly as menacing as he once was, and Zellhuber has all the tools to show out in this fight. The “Golden Boy” is younger, taller, longer and probably coming into this fight with a chip on his shoulder after losing a razor close split decision loss to Esteban Ribovics last September. I just don’t see any where Johnson can beat Zellhuber in this fight. I expect Daniel to use his range and frustrate Johnson until he makes a mistake and leaves an opening for the “Golden Boy” to close the show. (Prediction: Zellhuber)
Consensus: 3-0 Zellhuber
Featherweight: Dan Ige vs. Patricio Pitbull
Images: UFC.com & Bellator YouTube
Pranav Pandey: Dan Ige is easily one of the most resilient fighters in the featherweight division. Time and again, he’s shown the ability to weather adversity and remain composed under pressure. Despite facing some of the division’s toughest names, no one has been able to finish him, which speaks volumes about his durability. Still, inconsistency continues to be his biggest hurdle, preventing him from truly breaking through.
As for Patricio Pitbull, his UFC debut was a rough one. He was soundly beaten by Yair Rodriguez, and it’s fair to say he hasn’t quite looked like the dominant force we saw during his Bellator reign. His recent performances haven’t helped that perception either. Still, this fight feels like a closely contested battle. If Pitbull can control the pace with takedowns and avoid the heavy hands of “50K”, he has a clear route to victory. But pulling it off will be anything but easy. (Prediction: Pitbull)
Thomas Albano: Patricio Pitbull did not look great in his UFC debut against Yair Rodriguez. Rodriguez outstruck him, outpaced him, and even did better on the ground against him. Pitbull even had questionable Fight IQ in the bout. Now it’s one thing to lose a competitive fight against a former interim UFC champ like Rodriguez; it’s another to lose in the fashion that he did, getting swept on the scorecards. Pitbull, however, has a strong opportunity in front of him in someone like Dan Ige. Ige is tough in his own right and has quite the chin and heart to be called a UFC fighter, even if he’s lower ranked in the contender standings and has lost three of his last five. Ige did get a strong rebound win by finishing Sean Woodson last time out.
Pitbull’s ground expertise will be matched up against someone with a collegiate wrestling background. Pitbull’s chin will be tested by Ige’s strikes, and vice versa. This is going to be an ultimate test, and there are plenty of people who doubt Pitbull based on how he looked against Rodriguez. I’m going to say Pitbull just cracked under the first-time pressure lights and will rebound against Ige.
That said, if Pitbull loses this fight, or he has another bad performance win or lose, then we have to question not only if he made the UFC jump too late, but also if he’s even competitive with the 145ers the UFC has. (Prediction: Pitbull)
Ryan Jarrell: This is a tough one to pick confidently as both guys are very well rounded and seem to have a somewhat even skillset, or so it seems. Pitbull got off to a slow start in his UFC debut against Yair and it makes me wonder if that was the octagon jitters that a lot of fighters have when making their UFC debut, or if he may be starting his run in the big show just a touch too late in his career. Having said that, I expect to see a much more desperate Pitbull who will start strong and put the pressure on Ige from the opening bell. Patricio Pitbull has a ton of pride and he will find a way to will himself to his first victory as a UFC fighter. (Prediction: Pitbull)
Consensus: 3-0 Pitbull
Welterweight: Kevin Holland vs. Daniel Rodriguez
Images: UFC.com
Pranav Pandey: Truth be told, Kevin Holland has been showing real improvement after hitting a rough patch. Let’s not forget, most of his losses came against elite competition who exposed gaps in his overall game. But with “Trailblazer,” unpredictability is always part of the package. You never really know what you’re going to get, except that it’ll be entertaining.
On the other side, Rodriguez is a tough, durable opponent who’s managed to bounce back with two straight wins after dropping three in a row. He’s got heavy hands and a gritty style, but one thing that stands out is his tendency to slow down in the later rounds. Against someone like Holland, who thrives when the pace picks up, that could be a real problem.
I see this fight leaning in Holland’s favor, especially if he stays aggressive and maintains his rhythm. If he keeps the pressure on, I believe he gets it done. (Prediction: Holland)
Thomas Albano: Kevin Holland has come into question in the past over how serious he takes his fights; however, he’s really looked like he’s living up to potential in his last couple of outings. Since dropping back to welterweight earlier this year, Holland has racked up back-to-back performance bonuses in wins over Gunnar Nelson and Vicente Luque – the latter coming just last month at UFC 316. D-Rod has recently claimed wins over Alex Morono and Santiago Ponzinibbio, but it doesn’t scream ready for a guy like Holland – especially since he was on a three-fight skid before those two wins.
Holland’s got the height and reach advantages, and he’s actually the younger fighter with MORE fight experience despite arriving to the UFC a couple of years before Rodriguez. I’m staying hopeful that Holland is finding a true place for himself at 170 and scores a statement win here. (Prediction: Holland)
Ryan Jarrell: Kevin Holland is coming off two consecutive impressive wins over Gunner Nelson and Vicente Luque. ‘Big Mouth’ is way more dangerous at welterweight than when he fights the naturally thicker competition at Middleweight. Additionally, Holland has a seven inch reach advantage and is six years younger than Rodriguez. Look for Kevin to make it three wins in a row at 170 and start to make some real noise in the division he should have been in all along. (Prediction: Holland)
Consensus: 3-0 Holland
Middleweight: Paulo Costa vs. Roman Kopylov
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Pranav Pandey: This might just be one of the most exciting fights on the entire card, and I’m genuinely looking forward to it. Kopylov has quietly put together an impressive run, and while that submission loss to Anthony Hernandez stands out on paper, it doesn’t tell the full story of how skilled he really is. His striking is razor-sharp, he carries serious knockout power, and stylistically, he’s a nightmare if you give him space to operate. The big question now is whether he can handle someone like Paulo Costa.
Now, let’s be honest. Costa hasn’t looked like the wrecking ball he once was. A string of losses, inactivity, and some questionable performances have taken the shine off his name. But still, when he’s locked in, “Borrachinha” is an absolute menace. I don’t think Kopylov will be rushing in blindly, because once Costa starts moving forward with intent, he’s like a pressure-cooker with fists.
To me, this feels like a make-or-break fight for Costa. I believe he knows the stakes and will come into this one with a renewed sense of urgency. That said, he’ll need to be cautious, because Kopylov’s well-rounded skill set can pose real problems if Costa lets his foot off the gas. (Prediction: Costa)
Thomas Albano: There is zero chance I ride with Costa in this fight. I was barely on his hype train when he made his way up, and he lost all credibility with me as a legitimate contender when he had the performance that he had against Israel Adesanya. That said, I’ll give him this – he actually fought more than once in a year last year and he looked great when facing Sean Strickland his last time out. At least three of Costa’s losses are not bad in terms of opponent (and the thing with the Marvin Vettori fight is that it was out of the division technically), but it’s hard when you’re a fighter on that kind of skid, and you’re taking on someone who’s on the rise such as Kopylov.
Kopylov has power in his strikes that can match Costa’s. He’s also got good footwork and a developing wrestling game on top of that. Costa needs the win here; however, Kopylov will make a strong statement by coming out on top with a strong performance. Given Kopylov’s rise and slowly developing all-roundness, I’m going to pick him via decision. (Prediction: Kopylov)
Ryan Jarrell: I am trying not to overthink this one, because when I do I find all these reasons why Kopylov wins. But my initial instinct was to lean Costa because of his boxing and power. Roman is definitely a wild card and has the tools to beat almost anyone at middleweight on any given night. But Paulo has fought the tougher competition and his only losses are to the absolute best in the division. I believe Costa will dictate where this fight takes place and his power will lead to him to a decision victory. (Prediction: Costa)
Consensus: 2-1 Costa
Lightweight: BMF Title: Max Holloway vs. Dustin Poirier
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Pranav Pandey: These two warriors know each other like the back of their bruised hands. Both men have shown time and again that they can crank up the violence on command, and while we’ve seen nearly everything from these all-action veterans, there’s still something magnetic about watching them collide. Their last meeting was a fan-favorite classic filled with nonstop action.
Poirier is stepping into the Octagon one last time against the very man he’s already beaten twice. But don’t let that 2-0 record fool you; this is no victory lap. “The Diamond” is throwing himself into the fire once again, fully aware of how dangerous “Blessed” can be. Yes, Holloway is coming off a devastating knockout loss to Ilia Topuria, but let’s not kid ourselves. This is a different opponent, a different stage, and a different Max.
Like Poirier, Holloway doesn’t know how to take a backward step. He’s made a career out of throwing volume like a man possessed. And while I fully expect another chaotic war, I have a strong feeling it won’t go the distance. I think Holloway has absorbed more cumulative damage over the years, and that wear and tear might finally catch up to him. If Poirier stays disciplined and avoids diving into those adrenaline-fueled guillotines, I believe “The Diamond” gets the finish and the storybook ending he’s been chasing. (Prediction: Poirier)
Thomas Albano: Throughout my journey from teenhood to adulthood, I’ve watched the rises of Max Holloway and Dustin Poirier, and I’ve watched their first two encounters in the Octagon. Now, I get to witness their third. These two have become my favorite fighters today, and in the words of Tim McGraw, I love it, I hate it, I want some more of it. I loved the battles between these two that have already happened. I love that Poirier gets to end his career in this kind of fight. But it stinks that one of these two is going to have to lose this matchup. I just hope it doesn’t end in a way where we’re going to talk about someone’s stock (namely Holloway since he’s still going to be fighting after this) dropping.
Now for the fight itself, this is the hardest pick of the night. Something might seem in the air that makes it feel like the third time is going to be the charm for Holloway. I don’t doubt that and wouldn’t put it past Holloway to win this; however, I have my concerns. Dana White had some skepticism about Holloway in terms of his size when first trying out lightweight – back when he and Poirier fought for the second time. Holloway looked more even in terms of size when he fought Gaethje, but will Poirier still look like the bigger fighter when they match up again? My thoughts say yes – even with Holloway as the slightly taller fighter.
The concern for Holloway is if he’ll be able to work around Poirier’s reach. The concern for Poirier is if his chin can handle the boxing of Holloway. I could say Poirier has the edge if this one goes to the ground, but who am I kidding? This is NOT going to the ground unless someone gets a knockdown. This one’s tough, and I wouldn’t bet on this unless it’s a go the distance prop, but I’ll take Poirier to ride into the sunset with a win – either by a narrow unanimous decision (48-47s on all three cards?) or a controversial split decision. (Prediction: Poirier)
Ryan Jarrell: These are two of my all time favorite fighters so I’d love to say this fight ends in a draw so neither man takes a loss on their record. But that’s not going to happen. The last time these two fought was back in 2019 when Dustin won a unanimous decision over 5 exciting action packed rounds. It is safe to say that both men have evolved tremendously since that contest, so we may be in for absolute treat as fans for this hugely anticipated main event scrap. I belief this will be a very even matchup on the feet and I do expect it to stay on the feet for the majority of the fight. Ultimately, I think ‘The Diamond’ will have the more meaningful moments and land more significant strikes en route to a decision victory and sail off into retirement on a high note. (Prediction: Poirier)
Consensus: 3-0 Poirier
That’ll do it for our UFC 318 staff picks! What do you think? Do your predictions look similar? Let us know in the comments section!
Also, you can check out the full UFC 318 card below.
Main Card:
Lightweight: BMF Championship: Max Holloway vs. Dustin Poirier
Middleweight: Paulo Costa vs. Roman Kopylov
Welterweight: Kevin Holland vs. Daniel Rodriguez
Featherweight: Dan Ige vs. Patricio Pitbull
Lightweight: Michael Johnson vs. Daniel Zellhuber
Preliminary Card:
Bantamweight: Kyler Phillips vs. Vinicius Oliveira
Middleweight: Marvin Vettori vs. Brendan Allen
Welterweight: Francisco Prado vs. Nikolay Veretennikov
Middleweight: Ateba Abega Gautier vs. Robert Valentin
Early Preliminary Card:
Welterweight: Adam Fugitt vs. Islam Dulatov
Light Heavyweight: Jimmy Crute vs. Marcin Prachnio
Heavyweight: Ryan Spann vs. Łukasz Brzeski
Middleweight: Brunno Ferreira vs. Jackson McVey
Women’s Flyweight: Carli Judice vs. Nicolle Caliari
