Dustin Poirier is about to have his ‘Last Dance’, his last rendezvous inside the famed octagon. The Lafayette native will be taking on former featherweight and lightweight champion Max Holloway on July 19, with the BMF title on the line. This promises to be an exciting match-up between two of the greatest fighters of this generation.
The pair fought twice previously, and both fights were instant classics. Notably, one of these bouts was Holloway’s UFC debut. However, ‘Blessed’ has not managed to register a win against Poirier on either occasion; something he would like to change.
Meanwhile, Poirier, who has been publicly contemplating retirement for at least a year now, finally decided upon it after failing to capture the lightweight title from the incumbent Islam Makhachev at UFC 302 in 2024. or his last fight, Poirier had originally asked for a legendary fighter like Justin Gaethje, with whom he already has had a couple of bout, and was hoping to close the chapter by winning the trilogy fight.
Unfortunately, the UFC didn’t comply with the request. However, Poirier has asserted that Holloway was as much a legend as anybody else, and it would be a fight fitting his own legacy. Ahead of the highly awaited match-up, ‘The Diamond’s’ coach, and former UFC fighter Mike Brown, also penned a message for the fighter, lauding him for a stellar career.
“There are athletes, there are martial artists, and there are fighters. @dustinpoirier is a 100% a natural, pure-born fighter. He also might be the baddest dude I ever met,” Brown said.
Brown has seen Poirier grow into a legend in the sport and has been alongside him throughout the journey. The Instagram post prompted other UFC fighters to comment.
UFC women’s bantamweight champion, Kayla Harrison, who has trained with Poirier at American Top Team, chimed in and gave the legendary lightweight his flowers.
“Forged in the fire. A diamond through and through,” she said.
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Meanwhile, fellow lightweight Mateusz Gamrot added, “That’s right !!! The Champ !! Let’s go.”
At this point, the UFC 318 card is shaping up to be a banger of an event, and all the big names in the UFC will be tuning in to watch ‘The Last Dance’ of a UFC legend.
Poirier to dial back time at UFC 318
On July 20, we’re gonna see a very different side of ‘The Diamond‘. As he always has, Poirier is expected to be involved in a violence fest against Holloway at IFC 318, but after the fight is done, expect it all to be a bit mushy.
After all, the UFC specifically put together the UFC 318 card to honor him. UFC boss Dana White even spoke about it in an interview with WDSU Louisiana, “He’s accomplished a lot in the sport. This is for him, to be honest with you. He wanted to have his last fight and end his career in New Orleans, so here we are.”
To add to that, Poirier will also be walking out with a special guest on July 19. When ‘The Diamond’ stepped into the octagon for the first time back in 2011, he walked out with the legendary rapper Lil Wayne. And that’s exactly what he’s going to be doing at UFC 318.
Dustin Poirier says that as of now, Lil Wayne will walk him out for his final UFC fight at #UFC318
The Diamond walked out to a Lil Wayne track in his first-ever UFC fight in 2011. pic.twitter.com/rPe8pzpIQZ
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) June 18, 2025
From what Poirier has revealed about himself, as of now, Wayne will be the one to walk him out for his final match in the organization.
