Dustin Poirier Says Goodbye to the Octagon with a Loss to Max Holloway
In a night full of emotions at UFC 318, Dustin Poirier couldn’t secure the victory in his last fight, but his legacy in the sport remains indelible. The fight, which took place at the Smoothie King Center, culminated in a unanimous decision loss to Max Holloway, but served as a worthy closure to his outstanding 16-year career. The fight, which awarded the BMF title, was an exchange of blows and dramatic moments that kept the fans on the edge of their seats. The three judges scored the fight in favor of Holloway, with results of 49-46, 49-46 and 48-47.Holloway, after his victory, opened the door to possible challenges for the BMF title and briefly mentioned the 155-pound champion, Ilia Topuria, before yielding the spotlight to Poirier. Poirier, 36, retires with the fifth-most wins in UFC history, with 22. In addition, he is tied for fourth place with 11 knockouts. Poirier’s legacy includes three appearances for the undisputed title in 2019, 2021, and 2024, although he did not achieve victory in any of them, facing Khabib Nurmagomedov, Charles Oliveira, and Islam Makhachev. However, he conquered the interim lightweight title in 2019 by defeating Holloway by unanimous decision.“It’s been overwhelming, honestly. I feel appreciated, I feel seen. I never came out fighting and looked at it this way. I could never look at it in the third person. This week has been incredible. I feel loved by the fans, Louisiana, and the company. I’m a kid living the dream here, man, throwing punches,” Poirier declared.
Dustin Poirier
Saturday’s fight against Holloway, in which Poirier won the first two encounters, offered everything fans expect from a Poirier fight. Holloway knocked him down with a right hand in the first few minutes, but Poirier recovered. Holloway knocked him down again in the second round, but Poirier responded and knocked Holloway down later in the round, seeking a guillotine.
Poirier entered the octagon accompanied by New Orleans rapper Lil Wayne, a poetic nod to his UFC debut in 2011, when he used Lil Wayne’s song “A Milli”. According to UFC statistics, Holloway outstruck Poirier in total strikes, with 186-114. Poirier cut Holloway under the left eye in the fourth round, but Holloway’s punch volume also began to take its toll. It’s a great victory for Holloway, who was coming off the first knockout loss of his career against Topuria in his fight for the 145-pound title in October. UFC President Dana White said Holloway is “in a great position right now” for a possible title rematch with Topuria at 155 pounds.
