UFC 318 Main Event: Max Holloway vs. Dustin Poirier 3 – A Trilogy for the Ages

A Decade-Long Rivalry Reignited

When Max Holloway and Dustin Poirier step into the Octagon for the UFC 318 main event, it will mark the culmination of a rivalry that began over a decade ago. Their first encounter dates back to February 2012 at UFC 143, when a young Holloway made his UFC debut against Poirier. Poirier won that night by first-round submission, introducing Holloway to the unforgiving world of the UFC. Seven years later, in April 2019, they met again – this time for an interim lightweight championship. That rematch was an instant classic, with Poirier earning a hard-fought unanimous decision victory over Holloway after five thrilling rounds. Now, Holloway vs. Poirier 3 arrives at UFC 318, and it’s being billed as “a trilogy for the ages.”

Despite Poirier holding two victories in the series, the dynamic between these fighters has evolved. Holloway, once a 20-year-old newcomer in their first meeting, went on to become a dominant UFC featherweight champion. Poirier, a battle-tested veteran, climbed to the pinnacle of the lightweight division, capturing an interim title and facing the sport’s elite. Both men are future Hall-of-Fame talents known for their striking prowess and granite chins. The fact that they split weight classes in their primes – Holloway ruling 145 lbs, Poirier a top contender at 155 lbs – delayed a third fight for years. Now circumstances have aligned for this epic trilogy bout, and fans recognize it as an MMA full-circle moment: Poirier was Holloway’s first UFC opponent, and Holloway will be Poirier’s last.

High Stakes: BMF Title and Poirier’s Farewell

What truly elevates Holloway vs. Poirier 3 into must-see territory are the high stakes surrounding the fight. For one, the symbolic “BMF” belt – the Baddest Motherf***er title – will be on the line. Holloway enters UFC 318 as the reigning BMF champion after a stunning knockout of Justin Gaethje in April 2024. That faceplant KO, delivered in the final second of their bout, instantly became an all-time highlight and earned Holloway the BMF crown. Now, Holloway’s first defense of that belt comes against a man who embodies the BMF spirit himself: Dustin Poirier. Neither Holloway nor Poirier currently holds a traditional UFC weight-class title, so having the BMF title on the line raises the stakes and gives both warriors extra motivation to leave it all in the cage.

Then there’s the emotional factor: this fight is Poirier’s retirement fight. “The Diamond” has announced that UFC 318 will be his final walk to the Octagon after an illustrious 14-year career. At 36 years old, Poirier decided it’s time to hang up the gloves, and he specifically wanted to have his farewell in his home state of Louisiana. The UFC obliged, booking UFC 318 at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans on July 19. This means the UFC 318 main event will play out in front of a raucous Louisiana crowd celebrating one of their own. “It’s going to be my final fight. I’m going to lay the gloves down in Louisiana where it all started for me,” Poirier said of this chance to end his career on home soil. The atmosphere is sure to be electric, with hometown hero Poirier receiving a hero’s sendoff.

For Holloway, UFC 318 represents a new chapter. The former featherweight king is moving up to lightweight permanently for the first time in his career. Holloway has flirted with 155 pounds before – including his 2019 interim title fight loss to Poirier – but now the 33-year-old is committing to a full-time campaign in the lightweight division. In fact, Holloway’s BMF triumph over Gaethje was a 155-lb contest, and it convinced him that his future lies in this weight class. The UFC 318 headliner thus doubles as Holloway’s official lightweight debut of this new run, adding another layer of intrigue. How will “Blessed” fare carrying extra weight against a seasoned lightweight like Poirier? Holloway is coming off a setback in his last fight – a featherweight title challenge in which Ilia Topuria knocked him out in October 2024. That defeat, the first time Holloway had been stopped, signaled the end of his featherweight journey. He now seeks redemption and a fresh start at 155 lbs, and capturing the BMF belt outright with a win over Poirier would be a massive statement for his lightweight aspirations.

Legends Collide in New Orleans

Beyond the belts and storylines, the UFC 318 main event is simply a showdown between two living legends of the sport. Dustin Poirier (30-9, 1 NC) has been a fixture of the lightweight top ranks for the past decade. A former interim champ, he boasts victories over a who’s who of MMA: two stoppages of Conor McGregor, a knockout of Justin Gaethje in 2018, and wins over former champions Anthony Pettis and Eddie Alvarez among many others. Poirier’s all-action style and willingness to fight the best made him one of the most respected fighters in the game. Even in defeats – coming up short in three bids for the undisputed lightweight title against Khabib Nurmagomedov, Charles Oliveira, and Islam Makhachev – Poirier solidified his legacy by consistently battling the sport’s elite. Now he has one last mission: to author a perfect ending to his story by finally hoisting the BMF belt and avenging his loss to Gaethje by proxy, all while saying goodbye on his own terms.

Max Holloway (26-8) is equally celebrated. The Hawaiian ruled the UFC’s 145-pound division from 2016 to 2019, during which he amassed a record 14-fight win streak and defended the featherweight title three times. Holloway’s volume striking and indomitable spirit have given fans countless memorable fights. Notably, Holloway is the man who vanquished José Aldo (twice) and he owns wins over Frankie Edgar, Brian Ortega, and Yair Rodriguez among others. At featherweight he proved himself a generational talent. Now, with his move to lightweight, Holloway is chasing a rare feat – becoming a two-division champion – and the journey starts with the UFC 318 headliner against Poirier. There’s a poetic symmetry in facing Poirier again: Holloway lost to him as a raw prospect and again as a visiting featherweight champion, but can he finally defeat Poirier now as a seasoned veteran in a new division? It’s a question that looms large over this trilogy fight.

Adding to the anticipation is the respect between the fighters. There is no bad blood; in fact, Poirier and Holloway have expressed mutual respect and even friendship. “He’s a guy I respect a lot, so it’s an important fight for me. I said ‘legends only’, and Max is definitely that,” Poirier noted. Both men are known for their humility and warrior ethos, which means the buildup has been free of trash talk – a refreshing scenario where the focus is purely on competition. Come fight night, fans can expect two proud fighters leaving it all in the cage for legacy and glory, rather than personal animosity.

A Historic Night Awaits

All told, the UFC 318 main event between Max Holloway and Dustin Poirier has the makings of an instant classic. It’s rare in MMA to see a trilogy spanning 13 years, across two weight classes, with such high-profile athletes. Rarer still is to have a retirement fight in a headlining spot, in the fighter’s hometown, with a special title at stake. The convergence of the BMF belt, Poirier’s final fight, and Holloway’s lightweight debut makes this bout more than just a rubber match – it’s a landmark moment in UFC history.

As the lights shine bright in New Orleans on July 19, a beloved veteran will attempt to script the perfect final chapter, while a Hawaiian great seeks to redefine his legacy in a new division. The combat sports world will be watching to see how this trilogy for the ages concludes. In a sport where narratives often take unexpected turns, Holloway vs. Poirier 3 offers one more twist of fate: will Poirier ride off into the sunset as the “Baddest MFer” in the UFC, or will Holloway finally solve the puzzle of Poirier and begin his lightweight era with a bang? Either way, when the cage door closes, two legends will put everything on the line – and when it’s over, the legacy of the UFC 318 main event will be remembered for years to come.

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