Dustin Poirier joined the "Pat McAfee Show" Friday, announcing that he will fight for the UFC for the last time before retiring. He and BMF champion holder Max Holloway will be playing for the BMF belt for a while in its third and final match at UFC 318 on July 19 at UFC 318.
Poirier (30-9) scored 2-0 against Holloway (26-8) through first-round submission and unanimous decision. However, it will be his first in more than a year when Lafayette, 36, of Louisiana enters the octagon this summer. ESPN's No. 1 fighter Islam Makhachev completed the Poirier in Poirier in the lightweight title battle at UFC 302 in June 2024, which may have given Poirier an unnecessary difference to the best UFC fighter, thus never having an undisputed title.
Holloway, 33, was lightweight after losing to Ilia Topuria in a lightweight championship game in October. His last lightweight match was at the UFC 300 in April 2024, when he eliminated Justin Gaethje to win the BMF title.
It is safe to say that we are looking forward to this history and legacy. Brett Okamoto and Andreas Hale responded first to the third part of the series. In addition, betting expert Ian Parker predicted in advance.
Okamoto: Credits to Poirier, UFC and the city. To be honest, the UFC has not done enough. It is by no means a sure thing that the UFC brings Poirier’s retirement struggle to his hometown. The company's pay-per-view schedule is pre-stated, and there are multiple transactions that guarantee certain places for certain battle cards each year. But Poirier is a star, his last walk, coupled with BMF's title battle at another star in Holloway, which is a lucrative main event. UFC usually book this information in Las Vegas, where there are precedents of high-priced tickets selling merchandise activities. Moving it to New Orleans requires some work, some negotiations - some effort. The UFC can book this based on the expected schedule for 2025, but as Poirier is a special talent, New Orleans sees the value of hosting his last fight, so fans will see that this should happen. It is exciting to see the UFC willing to acknowledge this and stay away from its status quo.
Hale: Perfect storytelling. UFC is often unfriendly to fighters on the way to match and combat locations. Anthony Smith had the chance to have a final fight on Saturday’s UFC fight night in Kansas City, Missouri, not far from his hometown of Omaha, Nebraska, but Zhang Mingyang, the machine paired with him, denied Smith’s happy ending fans would like to see.
Poirier is in a more unique position. He still ranks in the UFC's top 5 lightweight competitions, but has made it clear that he's ready to call it a pro. Poirier’s retirement struggle in his hometown felt like a promotion that worked hard for months. The timing of the UFC is excellent, having a pay-per-view event to Louisiana for the first time in nine years and keeping its regular championship headlines online with the BMF. If you add Poirier and Holloway's history in Octagon to their current lightweight rankings, it really doesn't have any better.
Okamoto: 100%. I said, even knowing that this is not what Poirier wants. Poirier is a competitor, which is why the sport loves him. He has been 2-0 against him and has no other attraction to his appeal. Poirier would be tempted to prove that he could beat Topria. He also hopes to avenge his knockout loss on Gaethje in 2023. I know why Holloway is not Poirier's first choice, but it's an incompetent for consumers and sports. Poirier has a chance to become a BMF champion (perhaps ultimately) BMF champion, as there is some talk about the UFC retiring with Poirier winning. Plus, since Poirier and Gaethje are mirrors to each other in many ways, they will end their careers 1-1 (Poirier beat Gaethje in 2018) is perfect. It's also the right struggle against Holloway, who wants to move forward at lightweight.
Hale: Absolutely. The trilogy became Poirier’s proper swan song, and all the necessary elements fell into place. Their history goes back to 2012, but Holloway has one thing that Poirier never touched: UFC Gold. It is an opportunity to end their respectful competition and a chance to retire Poirier as a champion, albeit a symbolic champion. Holloway and Poirier are also ranked 4th and 5th in the UFC’s lightweight rankings, so pairing makes a lot of sense from a docking standpoint. Holloway certainly won't lie down for Poirier. He is eager to finally beat Poirier and improve his 155-pound ranking. Both sides will be motivated to win, and the battle will almost certainly become a pleasant person.
Okamoto: Poirier. Holloway has always been the UFC champion. He holds the lightweight belt for a lot of time. He is considered one of the greatest lightweight games of all time. Poirier is a legend, but he never has an undisputed title, and he can't say he's the absolute best class of his weight at any given moment in his career (which has a lot to do with the fact that his top pick fits with Khabib Nurmagomedov and Makhachev. So the BMF belt is more important than Holloway's legacy. However, the outcome of the battle itself means more to Holloway, as he's not a retired person. Holloway hopes to win the second belt at 155 pounds, and a victory over Poirier could lead him to a win from the title. If Poirier beats him for the third time, Holloway will find himself without a title.
Hale: The lad from the country mile. Since its inception in 2019, the overall credibility of the BMF champion has been declining. No BMF champion holder continues to win the next battle or successfully defend the championship. Jorge Masvidal, Gaethje and Holloway all won the championship and lost the next battle, which means Kamaru Usman defeated Masvidal in the next battle after claiming the belt, and Topuria, who recently defeated Holloway, has a legitimate claim to the fictional title. All this is puzzling these days, but if anyone gets the right called BMF, it's Dustin Poirier. He is a fan favorite, and he was blocked three times from getting the proper UFC gold, arguably the largest lightweight brand ever founded in Nurmagomedov, Charles Oliveira and Makhachev. The chance to lift a title in his hometown means greater for his legacy than Holloway's, which will provide a lasting image of fairy tales, which few people can enter the UFC at the end.
Decide to win the decision. The final battle of this trilogy is at the best moment for two fighters. In their last battle, Poirier won the interim lightweight title through a unanimous decision, and it's hard to imagine the battle different. Holloway will receive its first knockout match in October at UFC 308's Topuria. With this 155 pound fight, I think Poirier has more power and is durable and can take whatever Holloway sends out. This has all the materials that have five rounds of night explosions.