NEW ORLEANS – Dustin Poirier couldn’t secure the victory in the last fight of his outstanding UFC career, but in the end, that mattered very little. Poirier’s last octagon entry at UFC 318, inside the Smoothie King Center, ended in a unanimous decision loss to former featherweight champion Max Holloway, but it was a fitting end to his 16-year professional career. The five-round BMF title fight had several dramatic shifts in momentum and culminated with both fighters in the center of the octagon. The three judges scored the lightweight fight in favor of Holloway: 49-46, 49-46, and 48-47. Immediately after the victory, Holloway (27-8) welcomed all BMF title challengers and briefly mentioned the 155-pound champion, Ilia Topuria, before yielding the spotlight to Poirier (30-10).
Holloway achieved his goal of being the spoilsport.Honestly, it’s been overwhelming. I feel appreciated. I feel seen. I never got out of the fight 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.
Dustin Poirier
I am very happy. Poirier can still hit hard, but he kept coming back again and again. I went in and knew I was going to try to be the party pooper and the villain.
Max HollowayPoirier, 36, retires tied for fifth place with the most wins in UFC history, with 22. He is also tied for fourth place with the most knockouts, with 11. Poirier’s legacy includes three appearances for the undisputed title in 2019, 2021, and 2024. He fell short in each, against Khabib Nurmagomedov, Charles Oliveira, and Islam Makhachev. However, he captured an interim lightweight title in 2019, defeating Holloway by unanimous decision in an instant five-round classic. The trilogy of Saturday against Holloway, Poirier won the first two encounters, presented everything the sport expected from a Poirier fight. Holloway knocked him down with a right hand in the first minutes, but Poirier survived and got up. Holloway knocked him down again in the second round, but Poirier recovered and, in fact, knocked down Holloway later in the round and attempted a guillotine. Poirier entered the octagon with the New Orleans rapper, Lil Wayne, in a poetic nod; Poirier, who was born and raised in Lafayette, walked out to Lil Wayne’s song “A Milli” for his UFC debut in 2011. The UFC reorganized its schedule to schedule Poirier’s last fight in his home state. According to UFC statistics, Holloway, from Hawaii, outstruck Poirier in total strikes, 186-114. Poirier cut Holloway under the left eye in the fourth round, but Holloway’s volume of strikes also began to take its toll around that same time. Poirier’s movements became a little slow at the end, although he still had enough to accept Holloway’s invitation to stand in the center of the octagon and swing at the end of the fight. 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.Just defend that BMF title. He’s ranked number 4 in the world there. Anything is possible for Max right now.
Dana White
