Charles Oliveira holds more post-fight bonuses than any fighter in UFC history — and the promotion just doubled them. His reaction was as relaxed as you’d expect from a man who has made a career of letting his performances do the talking.
During a recent interview with MMA Junkie’s Mike Bohn ahead of his BMF title fight against Max Holloway at UFC 326, “Do Bronxs” was asked how he feels about the MMA promotion’s new bonus structure, which raised performance bonuses from $50,000 to $100,000 and added a $25,000 incentive for finishes.
“I’m happy — but I don’t think about the bonus. The bonus looks for me, I don’t look for the bonus. The bonus is chasing me.”
Charles Oliveira’s Record Speaks For Itself
Charles Oliveira’s bonus total is the product of a career defined by spectacular finishes. The 36-year-old Brazilian also holds the UFC record for most submission victories (17) and has consistently delivered the kind of performances that earn Performance of the Night and Fight of the Night recognition.
The former UFC lightweight champion owns the promotion’s all-time record for post-fight bonuses with 21, earning more than $1 million in extra payouts, including 14 Performance of the Night, four Fight of the Night, and three Submission of the Night honors.
UFC 326 on March 7 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, will be Oliveira’s first fight under the revamped bonus system, a format that could reward his action-heavy style more than ever before.
Oliveira last competed at UFC Rio in October, securing a commanding second-round submission victory over Mateusz Gamrot. He now owns a 36-11 professional record, highlighted by 22 submission wins and 10 knockouts.
“Do Bronxs” faces BMF titleholder Max Holloway in the UFC 326 main event. The upcoming event is also being simulcast on CBS in prime time. A win would make Oliveira the fourth fighter ever to hold the BMF title.
🧨 No te puedes perder uno de los mejores eventos del año #UFC326 🛑
Nate Diaz believes Max Holloway (27-8) will successfully defend his BMF title against Charles Oliveira (36-11) at UFC 326, setting up a potential return to the promotion in June.
Holloway is set to put his BMF title on the line against Oliveira on March 7 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas in the main event of UFC 326, where he aims to be the first fighter to successfully defend the ceremonial UFC belt.
El cinturón BMF está en juego nuevamente!!! #UFC326
Nate Diaz Claims He’ll “Slap” Max Holloway on UFC White House Card
Nate Diaz last fought in the UFC in 2022, choking out Tony Ferguson at UFC 279. Since then, he has fought Jake Paul and rematched with Jorge Masvidal in the boxing ring.
Despite his success outside the UFC, Diaz has expressed interest in returning at the UFC White House event this June. He also claimed he started a whole division with his initial BMF title fight in 2019.
“I like Max (in that fight),” Diaz told ClockedNload. “Yeah [I like Max in that fight]. I’ll slap the sh*t out of him, though. That was rude what I just said, but I’ll f*ck him up. Yeah, the White House [event] would be perfect.”
“I’ll slap the sh*t out of Max Holloway… White House would be perfect.”
Dana White Left The Door Open For Nate Diaz’s UFC Return
Throughout his UFC career, Nate Diaz and Dana White didn’t always see eye to eye, with the UFC CEO often joking about the difficulty of dealing with the Diaz brothers.
— MMA History Today (@MMAHistoryToday) June 5, 2016
However, White indicated that the door is open for Diaz to return to the promotion.
“This will always be Nate’s house. Nate grew up here… He fought some of the biggest fights ever here. We love the kid. I don’t know about fighting in the future, but this will always be his house. We’ll see,” White said at the DWCS 57 post-fight press conference.
UFC legend Frankie Edgar has expressed concerns about Charles Oliveira’s mindset ahead of his rematch against Max Holloway at UFC 326.
Oliveira (36-11-0, 1 NC), the No. 3-ranked UFC lightweight, is set to challenge BMF titleholder Holloway in the main event of UFC 326 in Las Vegas on March 7. “Do Bronx” aims to regain the lightweight title, which he lost after missing weight before his victory over Justin Gaethje in 2022.
El cinturón BMF está en juego nuevamente!!! #UFC326
During a recent appearance on The Bohnfire podcast with MMA Junkie’s Mike Bohn, Frankie Edgar stated that while he sees Max Holloway on a resurgence, he isn’t sure if Charles Oliveira still has the same drive he once had.
“I think Holloway is on a tear, kind of like a resurgence a little bit,” Edgar said. “[Lightweight] is definitely his weight class now. I think going down to 145 [pounds] was too taxing on him.”
“Oliveira, I don’t know, sometimes you just wonder,” he continued. “He had such an up-and-down type of career until he became the champion, and you just wonder if he’s still hungry. That’s what I wonder. I feel like Holloway is still chasing the bone.”
Oliveira most recently competed at UFC Rio in October, where he secured a dominant second-round submission victory over Mateusz Gamrot. Before that, “Do Bronx” suffered a brutal knockout loss to Ilia Topuria at UFC 317 in his third attempt to capture the lightweight title.
Charles Oliveira’s “Born BMF” documentary on his YouTube channel, do Bronxs TV, reveals the medical prognosis that could have ended his athletic career before it even began.
In Episode 1 of “Road to UFC 326,” the former UFC lightweight champion opens up about a childhood diagnosis that, by any reasonable measure, should have kept him from ever stepping inside a cage.
“The doctors said I couldn’t even play soccer, so definitely from that point I already saw a BMF,” Oliveira said. “The doctors said I couldn’t even play a game of soccer. So definitely from there I already saw a BMF.” For a Brazilian kid, being told he couldn’t play soccer meant being denied the most basic rite of childhood. Oliveira saw something else in that moment: the first glimpse of the toughness that would define his career.
The Kid Who Couldn’t Run
Charles Oliveira reflected on what those limitations meant for a child who simply wanted to move like other kids. “You can imagine, I was just a kid and I wanted to run, play…” he said.
The medical condition that barred him from basic physical activity makes his rise to elite-level MMA, featuring submission records, title runs, and now a UFC 326 main event against Max Holloway for the BMF title, all the more remarkable.
Where That Defiance Shows Up Today
The documentary captures how that refusal to accept limits manifests in his training camp. During a physical preparation session, the squad trades challenges without coddling. “Everyone does their own weight. If you’re more of a man than us, that’s fine,” one teammate says. Another adds: “We’re men here, bro.” The exchange continues: “Come on, squad. Don’t be shocked, uncle. We won’t even be able to trade punches and get him after. Better leave it alone.”
After training, everyone chips in, including Oliveira. “Good job, everyone. Just spray some alcohol on the mat, wipe it down, put away the weights, the bar, and the boxes, then we’ll take a photo and head out,” he instructs. The same athlete once told he would never be able to play soccer now leads a camp where no one is given special treatment.
From Medical Impossibility To March 7
The “Born BMF” series frames toughness as something forged in survival, not just competition. Oliveira’s story embodies that thesis: a prognosis that should have ended his athletic dreams became the origin of a mentality that carried him to the top of the UFC—and now to a shot at the BMF title against former rival Holloway on March 7, inside the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
El cinturón BMF está en juego nuevamente!!! #UFC326
Charles Oliveira recently offered a stark definition of the BMF concept in the first episode of the “Born BMF” series on his YouTube channel, Do Bronxs TV.
“Do Bronx” is set to challenge reigning BMF titleholder Max Holloway in the main event of UFC 326 on March 7 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
El cinturón BMF está en juego nuevamente!!! #UFC326
While most fans associate the “Baddest Motherf**ker” title with cage dominance, Oliveira argues it’s forged long before a fighter ever steps into the Octagon—by surviving impossible odds from the very beginning.
“I was born a BMF. That’s real,” Oliveira declared in the opening moments of the documentary.
Redefining BMF — Born, Not Made
The series explores whether BMF status is earned in competition or forged through adversity. Charles Oliveira’s story makes the case for the latter: doctors told him as a child he couldn’t even play soccer, yet he became one of the UFC’s most accomplished fighters.
“I told my parents, I told my father—truthfully, I would rather die than not be a normal kid. So that’s where my story began,” Oliveira said. That willingness to risk everything to live a normal life, he suggests, is where true toughness is born.
The Spiritual Warrior Mindset
Charles Oliveira’s self-perception is deeply rooted in faith. “Truthfully, I’m a guy illuminated by God,” he said. “I truly believe that God chose me to make history.”
The former UFC lightweight champion’s philosophy on predestination shapes his approach to obstacles. “I truly believe that when you’re born, from when you’re small, God already put you on a path. It doesn’t matter which way you take, you’re going to end up on that line anyway. It was meant for me to do this. It was meant for me to make history.”
Hungry, Humble, and Real — The Triple Threat
Charles described himself as a three-dimensional person: “I’m a hungry guy, a family guy, a real guy, a guy who seeks the fight or seeks victory all the time. Whether I’m in the cage or outside the cage.”
He emphasized integrity alongside ambition. “The desire to make history, to always be at the highest level in the world, but most importantly, without stepping on anyone.”
The Octagon, he said, strips away all artifice. “The Octagon tells the truth about who I really am. I don’t hide anything.”
The Visible Hunger — What Opponents See
Charles Oliveira’s intensity isn’t hidden. “Anyone who watches me fight already sees in my eyes the hunger, the thirst. The desire to become champion,” he said.
That drive extends beyond fight night. “Everything in life. I only want to walk forward. I don’t want to look back.”
Evolution Through Adversity
“Do Bronx” reflected on his transformation from a grappling specialist to a complete fighter. “Back then, I was just Charles from jiu-jitsu; now I’m a complete MMA Charlie. Back then, I was just a boy. Now, today, I’m a lion among lions.”
The 36-year-old Brazilian also revealed he competed injured in his last bout against Mateusz Gamrot this past October. “From that last fight to this one, I’ve evolved tremendously. In that fight, I entered with an injury.”
Oliveira first fought Holloway at featherweight in August 2015, but the bout came to an early and unusual end. Just 1:39 into the opening round, the Brazilian appeared to suffer a neck injury while attempting a takedown.
The sudden setback, which was reported as an esophagus-related issue, forced Oliveira to collapse and indicate that he was unable to continue.
Justin Gaethje admits what many fighters refuse to acknowledge—his career is in its twilight phase. But the 37-year-old isn’t ready to walk away. Instead, he’s chasing what he believes could be the most inspirational championship run in UFC history.
Speaking with TNT Fight Sports ahead of his interim lightweight title clash against Paddy Pimblett at UFC 324 on January 24, Gaethje showed rare vulnerability about where he stands while simultaneously expressing unwavering hunger for one more title run.
“I’m 37 years old. There’s no, you know, I’d be a fool to think that we’re just getting started here. The end is near,” Gaethje admitted.
Despite acknowledging father time, “The Highlight” made clear his competitive fire hasn’t diminished. When asked whether he still has hunger for the interim title, Gaethje described fighting as an addiction he simply cannot escape.
“Every single one of these is a traumatic life experience. There’s no matching the high or the low of winning or losing this sport. It kind of ruined other parts of life, but no, I am so hungry. I’ve never felt more alive than when I feel it. I will miss it when it’s gone,” Gaethje explained.
All-or-Nothing Philosophy
Gaethje has a signature phrase that captures his fighting philosophy better than any pre-fight hype. Asked if he’s already thinking about a potential Ilia Topuria fight after Pimblett, his answer was vintage Gaethje.
“I’ve said it before. I don’t ever plan on being alive after the fight. So, if that’s how it ends, that’s how it ends,” Gaethje said.
The former BMF champion enters every bout with total commitment, refusing to look past opponents or plan for what comes next. His complete focus remains on the task at hand, but he’s well aware that Topuria has been publicly offering advice to Pimblett, suggesting the champion would rather face the Liverpool star than “The Highlight.”
“Yeah. I’m gonna Khabib and Ferguson this thing,” Gaethje said, referencing one of MMA’s most infamous cursed matchups—a fight scheduled and cancelled five times before Gaethje stepped in to replace Ferguson at UFC 249.
Chasing the Most Inspirational Run in UFC History
Gaethje believes a championship run at 37 years old would cement his legacy as one of the most inspirational stories in UFC history. He outlined his dream scenario with characteristic passion.
“I just love the challenge. I love the opportunity to inspire people. If I can go out there, beat Paddy, beat Ilia, it’ll be the most inspirational thing that I think this sport has ever seen. I’m trying to do that for countless people. That’s my goal,” Gaethje said.
His resume speaks for itself—he’s headlined nine or ten UFC events and fought top-five opponents in nearly every Octagon appearance. Now headlining the first numbered card on Paramount+, he sees an opportunity to cap his career with the ultimate achievement.
“There’s a reason I’m still here is because I’m one of the best in the world. If they could have got rid of me, they would have got rid of me. But I continue to prove I’m one of the best,” Gaethje said.
Looking beyond Pimblett, Gaethje revealed his ultimate dream matchup. He’s hoping Max Holloway defeats Charles Oliveira in their BMF title fight, setting up an incredible opportunity.
“I hope Max wins. I hope he goes up and then I can fight Max on the White House card and take the BMF belt and the championship,” Gaethje said.
When asked what fight he’d most like to see happen in 2026, Gaethje didn’t hesitate.
“I would say myself versus Ilia Topuria on the White House card,” Gaethje concluded.
Gaethje has twice fallen short in undisputed title fights, losing to Khabib Nurmagomedov and Charles Oliveira by submission. A win over Pimblett would position him for one final championship run against Topuria—and potentially the historic ending his career deserves.
UFC legend Max Holloway has made his feelings known when it comes to bare-knuckle boxing and slap fighting.
One thing we all know to be true is that Max Holloway is an absolute icon in the world of mixed martial arts. Throughout the course of his incredible career, he has been able to accomplish some incredible things. Along the way, he’s also fought some of the best to ever do it, which tells you a lot about the kind of warrior mentality he has.
Of course, there are limits to what a fighter is willing to do. Alongside mixed martial arts and boxing, there’s recently been a surge in interest with regards to bare-knuckle boxing and slap fighting, with the latter being something that UFC boss Dana White is heavily involved in.
During a recent stream, Max Holloway made his feelings pretty clear on both of these forms of combat.
Max Holloway is NOT interested in fighting Bare Knuckle 😭
“That’s the most stupidest thing ever in the world. When I’m retired, I’m retired bro.”
Max Holloway gives his thoughts on bare-knuckle and slap fighting
“I ain’t ever going to bare-knuckle fighting. That’s the most stupidest thing ever in the world,” Holloway said on a recent live stream (h/t Championship Rounds). “When I’m retired, I’m retired. I’ll maybe do a boxing match but not a bare-knuckle one. That’s f*cking ridiculous.
“People that do that, it’s next level. People that do slap, bare-knuckle, bro, you guys are crazy. You guys are actually crazy. Like, the slap one is so nuts. Like, why would I want to stay there and just be like, ‘Yeah, you can slap me, I slap you.’ That’s f*cking crazy.”
Terence Crawford has named his choice for the best boxer in the UFC — and it isn’t Ilia Topuria or Max Holloway.
Crawford is gearing up to square off against undisputed super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez on September 13 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. The high-profile superfight is being co-promoted by TKO Group’s Zuffa Boxing, with UFC CEO Dana White overseeing the event.
“Bud” has cemented his status as one of the premier pound-for-pound fighters of the modern era, boasting an undefeated 41-0 professional record with 31 knockouts, including victories over Errol Spence Jr., José Benavidez Jr., and David Avanesyan.
Image: @tbudcrawford/Instagram
Terence Crawford Names Cody Garbrandt As UFC’s Best Boxer
During a recent appearance on the Full Send Podcast, Terence Crawford was asked to name the best boxer in the UFC. Surprisingly, “Bud” bypassed reining lightweight champion Ilia Topuria and BMF titleholder Max Holloway, both widely regarded as elite pugilists in the promotion, and instead chose former bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt.
“It’s my guy, Cody [Garbrandt],” Crawford said. “He’s the best UFC boxer.”
Although host Kyle Forgeard tried to convince Crawford that “El Matador” is the UFC’s best boxer, the multi-division undisputed champion stood firm, explaining why he believes “No Love” excels in pure boxing.
“Yeah, but I don’t know, man, Cody’s got those hands. But I’m saying, when you’re talking about straight boxing, we ain’t talking about nothing else, we’re talking about straight boxing skills, I just think Cody’s got the best boxing skills in the UFC. But that’s just my opinion.”
Terence Crawford says Cody Garbrandt is the best boxer in the UFC, ranking him above Ilia Topuria 🥊🔥
Garbrandt was last seen competing at UFC Atlanta in June, where he fell to Raoni Barcelos via unanimous decision. “No Love”, who once rode an 11-fight win streak, including dethroning Dominick Cruz at UFC 207 in 2016 to claim the bantamweight title, has since struggled, posting a 3-7 record over his last 10 bouts.
UFC legend Charles Oliveira has confirmed that he would be interested in running it back with Max Holloway, 10 years on from when they first met in the cage.
As we know, Charles Oliveira is one of the greatest lightweights of his generation – and one of the most accomplished in UFC history. However, after getting knocked out by Ilia Topuria in his most recent outing, he needs to build his way back up to the top. He’ll hope to start doing so in the main event of UFC Rio later this year when he collides with Rafael Fiziev.
For Charles Oliveira, it’s all about proving that he still has what it takes to thrive at the elite level. We all know how good he’s been over the years but the real hope among his fans is that he has at least one more run left in him.
In a recent interview with Thunderpick, Charles Oliveira spoke about the possibility of a rematch against Max Holloway, a man who is currently looking for a UFC lightweight title shot of his own.
Charles Oliveira confirms interest in Max Holloway rematch
“Man, I think everyone wants to see that fight,” Oliveira told Thunderpick of Holloway. “It’s definitely going to happen at some point. Whatever people say doesn’t really matter to me.
“Everybody knows I was injured. I spent two days in the hospital, why would I do that for nothing? That’s just part of the game. He’s a great fighter. He’s the BMF champ. So why not make it happen later on? For now, let’s stay focused on this fight, and then we’ll see.”
Max Holloway has cast serious doubt on fighting again this year.
Last month, Holloway delivered a vintage performance, going to war with familiar foe Dustin Poirier in a thrilling five-round main event at UFC 318. Both men scored knockdowns, but it was “Blessed” who surged ahead with relentless pace and tactical control to outclass Poirier down the stretch.
Although the former UFC featherweight champion was briefly rocked in the second round, he stayed composed and ultimately derailed “The Diamond’s” farewell plans by preventing the trilogy sweep and securing a unanimous decision victory to successfully defend his BMF title.
KEEPING HIS BELT 💪@BlessedMMA earns the UD victory tonight in enemy territory!
Following the victory, Max Holloway wasted no time in calling for a rematch with newly minted lightweight champion Ilia Topuria, banking on their shared history to leapfrog contenders like Arman Tsarukyan and Justin Gaethje in the title race.
However, it appears “Blessed” could be shelved for the foreseeable future.
Image: @ufc/Instagram
Max Holloway Says Lingering Hand Injury May Keep Him Out Until 2026
In a recent video on his YouTube channel, Max Holloway reflected on his UFC 318 clash with Dustin Poirier and revealed he sustained an injury to his right hand during the bout. The reigning BMF champion admitted the recovery process could take longer than expected, all but ruling out a return to the Octagon in 2025.
“My right hand still hurts,” Holloway said. “If you have hopes of me fighting before the end of the year, probably not gonna happen. I’m seeing a specialist some time this week and I already met with my doctor and now I’ve got to meet a specialist but things are not looking up for me fighting one more time this year. What’s next, I couldn’t tell you, this stupid injury has pushed things back.”
After suffering the first knockout loss of his career to then-featherweight champion Ilia Topuria at UFC 308 in October 2024, Holloway has bounced back and solidified his place as a legitimate contender at lightweight by building on his earlier knockout win over Justin Gaethje with a dominant performance against Poirier.
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.
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 star Max Holloway has given his thoughts on Paddy Pimblett‘s chances if he is able to land a UFC title shot against Ilia Topuria.
As we know, Paddy Pimblett is one of the biggest names in mixed martial arts today. While a lot of people have often doubted his ability, the Liverpudlian’s dominant win over Michael Chandler made everyone realize that he is, in fact, the real deal. Now, the only question is this: will he jump the line and be thrust into a blockbuster title shot against rival Ilia Topuria?
It’s certainly possible, and it’s definitely what Paddy Pimblett wants. He believes that he has the answers necessary to put an end to the rise of ‘El Matador’ and while some will disagree with that assessment, ‘The Baddy’ has shown remarkable improvements throughout the course of his UFC tenure thus far.
In a recent interview, Max Holloway was asked about Paddy Pimblett and how that fight could play out.
Max Holloway’s view on Paddy Pimblett
“It’s MMA. It’s mixed martial arts. Anybody can win,” Holloway said. “Everybody can say we saw Paddy get cracked. I saw myself get cracked a bunch of times and when Ilia hit me, we saw what we saw. At the end of the day, it’s mixed martial arts. I think Paddy and their team will prepare right for that fight. I think they’ll have a game plan and he’s no slouch.
“A lot of people thought Paddy was this guy who just talks and runs his mouth and then he got to prove himself against a guy like [Michael] Chandler. He’s not a wrestler but he out-wrestled the wrestler, which was pretty crazy to see.”
“He’s super good,” Holloway said about Pimblett. “This is mixed martial arts. It’s what’s going on that day and whoever can apply their game plan that they’ve been doing, you never know.”
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
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 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
Images: UFC.com
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
Images: UFC.com & UFC YouTube
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
MMA analyst Chael Sonnen believes Dustin Poirier may have made a mistake that could cost him in his trilogy fight against Max Holloway.
As we know, Dustin Poirier is set to compete in his retirement fight this weekend in the main event of UFC 318. He will battle Max Holloway for the BMF title, but more importantly, he’ll be fighting professionally for the final time. These two warriors have fought on two previous occasions and in both instances, it was ‘The Diamond’ who was able to come away with the victory.
Of course, Dustin Poirier has never been one to hold back when giving his opinion on something, and he’s also a pretty honest guy when analyzing how a fight has gone. After their second fight a few years back, Poirier opened up on how you need to be able to disrupt Holloway, who he considers to be a rhythm fighter, so that he can’t go through the gears and build from one move to the next move.
Sonnen believes that Dustin Poirier’s words are something that Max Holloway can subsequently use to his advantage.
Chael Sonnen’s view on Dustin Poirier’s comments
“I watched Max Holloway build his way back into this fight, I knew Dustin Poirier was a different fighter because he fought him back when things started to go south. There were times earlier in his career, with ‘The Korean Zombie‘, where it kind of snowballed on Dustin and he was never able to get back to it.”
When the BMF title was first created by the UFC in 2019, there were various split opinions about the championship. Some called it genius, some called it a gimmick. But it seemed that such a belt was a one-and-done matter.
But since then, there have been two other BMF title fights in the UFC and two more BMF champions — all within the last two years. And the title will be on the line again come this Saturday at UFC 318, when Dustin Poirier challenges BMF titleholder Max Holloway in the retirement fight for “The Diamond.”
This has led to a lot of speculation and debate about the legitimacy of such a title (from the perspective of it being a sanctioned championship) — and if it’s worth the time and money of both the UFC and its fans.
MMA analyst and personality Luke Thomas sat down with Submission Radio recently and shared his thoughts about the belt. In spite of some feeling that the BMF title would be retired alongside Poirier should he win, Thomas suggests that this won’t be the last we see of such a strap.
In fact, Thomas goes as far as to say with the UFC’s event schedule, they need such a thing.
“No, they need it. UFC needs it,” Thomas said. “They need another belt in rotation just to put at the top of this of these pay-per-views. They can’t maintain, again, I’m gonna say it again, they can’t maintain their pay-per-view schedule.
Luke Thomas: UFC Event Schedule, Dependency On Title Fights For PPVs Is At Fault For Continued Use Of BMF Title
The BMF title was first created for the UFC 244 clash between Nate Diaz and Jorge Masvidal. Masvidal won the championship with a third-round doctor’s stoppage TKO, giving him the belt, which was strapped around him by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.
In July 2023, to the surprise of plenty, the BMF belt was brought back in a fight involving Poirier, as he and Justin Gaethje fought for the title in the main event of UFC 291. Gaethje won the bout with a devastating head-kick knockout.
Gaethje would then face Holloway with the title on the line at UFC 300, with Holloway winning the fight with his legendary last-second knockout of Gaethje.
The BMF title, however, was not on the line when Holloway fought and lost to Ilia Topuria in UFC 308’s featherweight title main event.
While Thomas admitted to Submission Radio that such a situation is “wishy-washy,” it’s not going to take away from the UFC’s decision to continue to use the championship. He cited the UFC’s need in this modern era for a championship to be on the line in the main event of almost every UFC pay-per-view — compared to when the UFC could promote a pay-per-view with a non-title main event (and one not featuring Conor McGregor for that matter) in previous years.
“You might say, ‘Hey, I don’t need a belt on the top of every card.’ But the UFC doesn’t believe that,” Thomas said. “They believe that they have to have one. They don’t have enough of them in rotation at any given time to be able to just like, ‘Oh, we don’t need the BMF belt.’
“Like, it was once a joke and now they’re like, ‘You know what? We could actually kind of use this thing.’ It’s not the first time that it’s been featured in a headlining bout on a UFC pay-per-view. Like, they need it.”
UFC 318 takes place this Saturday, July 19, from the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. It is the third meeting between Holloway and Poirier, with Poirier winning both of the previous outings.
UFC commentator Daniel Cormier has given his thoughts on who should put the BMF title on the winner of Dustin Poirier vs Max Holloway, depending on who picks up the victory.
On Saturday night, Dustin Poirier will fight Max Holloway in the main event of UFC 318. The two will compete for the BMF title, in what will also serve as the final fight of Poirier’s career. As you can imagine, it’s expected to be a pretty emotional moment.
Throughout the history of the BMF championship, some holders have had different people wrap the belt around their waist. Ahead of Dustin Poirier vs Max Holloway 3, some are speculating that it could happen again.
Daniel Cormier recently came up with an idea for both Dustin Poirier and Max Holloway regarding who would receive that honor.
Daniel Cormier’s view on Dustin Poirier vs Max Holloway
“If Lil Wayne is walking him out, Lil Wayne should walk out there and put the belt on Dustin Poirier,” Cormier said on Good Guy / Bad Guy.
“I think Lil Wayne should do it…
Cormier went for something more personal for Holloway.
“It’s kinda like personal because I watched the disappointment of the last fight,” Cormier referenced Holloway’s recent KO defeat.
“I’d let his wife do it because they’re so close, and she means so much,” Cormier added.
“I would let Max’s wife do it because I saw how sad they were after the last fight.
“It’s not just Max fighting. It’s his entire team, his entire family. I would let his wife do it because of how much it means to the family, or I’d let his son do it. I’d let his wife or his son do it.
“It’s gotta be one of those two to strap the belt on that man because I know what it meant when I walked into that locker room after that Ilia loss, I know what it would mean to one of them to do it,” Cormier said.
UFC veteran Max Holloway has explained why he was so happy to see that Ilia Topuria opted to make the move up to the lightweight division.
As we know, Max Holloway is one of the most exciting featherweight fighters of all time. However, in his last fight in the weight class, he was knocked out by Ilia Topuria – who proceeded to announce that he was moving up to lightweight to try and claim a second belt. He achieved that goal, whereas ‘Blessed’ will be returning to the cage later this month to face Dustin Poirier in the latter’s retirement bout.
Max Holloway is a warrior and we all know that to be true, and in a recent interview, he made it known once again that he wants to meet ‘El Matador’ again.
Max Holloway reveals his happiness at Ilia Topuria’s lightweight move
“(How a fight would go between us at 155lbs?) we’ll just have to find out, right?” Holloway told MMA Junkie.
“A 155lb fight? We’re just gonna have to find out. First things first, I was over the moon, a lot of people thought I’d be like ‘Oh my god, what the hell, why is he coming to 155lbs?’ I was over the moon when he announced he’s coming to 155lbs.
“And then when I found out he got the title shot, I was like ‘Oh my gosh’. Even the title shot with both of them, when they announced Oliveira and Topuria for the title shot, I think I was the happiest man alive because I have history with two guys.
“I know (Ilia) likes walking around with a BMF title but if he wants an authentic one he knows where to find me,” Holloway continued.
UFC star Paddy Pimblett believes Max Holloway has a great chance of defeating Dustin Poirier in the latter’s retirement fight at UFC 318.
Later this month, Max Holloway will take on Dustin Poirier with the BMF title being on the line. It will serve as the third and final time that they collide, and currently, Poirier holds a 2-0 lead in the series. With that being said, ‘Blessed’ is on the hunt for a return to winning ways after being knocked out by Ilia Topuria in his last outing.
Ahead of fight night, Paddy Pimblett has become the latest lightweight to give his opinion on how this one is going to play out.
Paddy Pimblett backs Max Holloway
“It would be heavy for Holloway if there’s two different fighters who have beat him three times,” Pimblett said on the “Verse Us Podcast” with Eric Nicksick. “I’ve seen him say something like, ‘He took a lot from me, he gave me my first loss, and he took away my win streak, so I’m going to take his retirement fight.’
“I think Holloway’s motivated. I can see Holloway winning, to be honest. Don’t know why. I think it’s just one of them. Dustin fighting in his hometown, his last fight, everyone expects him to win, the pressure. I think he might (win). You might think it’s a bit more favorable because he beat him twice, though.”
