Dustin Poirier joined “The Pat McAfee Show” on Friday to announce that he would fight one last time in the UFC, then retire. He and BMF title holder Max Holloway will put a period on their longtime rivalry with a third and final showdown in New Orleans at UFC 318 on July 19 for the BMF belt.
Poirier (30-9) is 2-0 against Holloway (26-8) via first-round submission and unanimous decision. When the 36-year-old Lafayette, Louisiana, native steps into the Octagon this summer, though, it will be his first time in over a year. ESPN’s No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter, Islam Makhachev, finished Poirier in the fifth round of their lightweight title fight at UFC 302 in June 2024, likely giving Poirier the unwanted distinction of best UFC fighter to have never been an undisputed champion.
Holloway, 33, is moving back up to lightweight after losing to Ilia Topuria in a featherweight title match in October. His last lightweight bout was at UFC 300 in April 2024, when he knocked out Justin Gaethje to seize the BMF title.
With all the history and legacy on the line, it’s safe to say we’re looking forward to this one. Brett Okamoto and Andreas Hale give their first reactions to the third installment of this series. Plus, betting expert Ian Parker gives an early prediction.
Fill in the blank: Having the UFC back in New Orleans is ____
Okamoto: A credit to Poirier, the UFC and the city. Frankly, the UFC doesn’t do enough of this. It was never a sure thing that the UFC would take Poirier’s retirement fight to his home state. The company’s pay-per-view schedule is laid out well in advance, and there are multiple deals in place that guarantee certain venues for certain fight cards every year. But Poirier is a star, and his final walk, coupled with a BMF title fight against another star in Holloway, is a lucrative main event. The UFC would have typically booked this in Las Vegas, where there is precedent for high-priced ticket sales of marquee events. Moving it to New Orleans required some work, some negotiation — some effort. It would have been easy for the UFC to book this according to the expected schedule for 2025, but because Poirier is a special talent and New Orleans saw value in hosting his last fight, the fans will see this take place where it should. It’s exciting to see the UFC be willing to acknowledge that and step away from its status quo.
Hale: Perfect storytelling. The UFC is often unkind to fighters on their way out regarding matchmaking and fight location. Anthony Smith was gifted the opportunity to have his final fight at UFC Fight Night in Kansas City, Missouri, on Saturday, not too far from his hometown of Omaha, Nebraska, but pairing him with finishing machine Zhang Mingyang denied Smith the happy ending fans wanted to see.
Poirier is in a more unique position. He’s still ranked among the UFC’s top 5 lightweights but has made it clear he’s ready to call it a career. Poirier’s retirement fight in his home state feels like something the promotion worked diligently on for months. The timing worked perfectly for the UFC to bring a pay-per-view event to Louisiana for the first time in nine years and keep the regular cadence of title fight headliners with the BMF on the line. If you add Poirier and Holloway’s storied history in the Octagon to their current lightweight rankings, it truly doesn’t get any better than this.
Is Holloway the right opponent for Poirier’s final UFC fight?
Okamoto: 100%. I say that even knowing it’s not what Poirier wanted. Poirier is a competitor, which is why the sport loves him. The thought of facing an opponent he’s already 2-0 against did not appeal to him as much as others. Poirier would have loved to prove he can beat Topuria. He also would have loved to avenge the knockout loss he suffered to Gaethje in 2023. I understand why Holloway wasn’t Poirier’s first choice, but for the consumers and sport, it was a no-brainer. Poirier gets a chance to walk away as the (perhaps final) BMF champion, as there’s some talk of the UFC retiring the belt along with Poirier if he wins. Also, because Poirier and Gaethje are such mirrors of one another in many ways, it’s perfect that they will end their career series 1-1 (Poirier beat Gaethje in 2018). It’s also the right fight for Holloway, who is looking to make his mark at lightweight moving forward.
Hale: Absolutely. All of the necessary elements fell into place for the trilogy to be Poirier’s proper swan song. Their history dates back to 2012, but Holloway has one thing that Poirier has never touched: UFC gold. It’s an opportunity to put a definitive end to their respectful rivalry and a chance for Poirier to retire as a champion, albeit a symbolic one. Holloway and Poirier are also ranked No. 4 and No. 5, respectively, in the UFC’s lightweight rankings, so the pairing makes perfect sense from a matchmaking standpoint. Holloway is certainly not going to lie down for Poirier. He is eager to finally notch a win over Poirier and to move up the 155-pound rankings. Both sides will be motivated to win and the fight is almost certain to be a crowd pleaser.
Would a BMF title mean more for Poirier or Holloway’s legacy?
Okamoto: Poirier. Holloway has been an undisputed UFC champion. He held the featherweight belt for a significant amount of time. He’s viewed as one of the greatest featherweights of all time. Poirier is a legend, but he has never held an undisputed title, and he can’t say he was the absolute best of his weight class at any given point of his career (which had a lot to do with the fact that his prime coincided with Khabib Nurmagomedov and Makhachev). So, the BMF belt means more to Poirier’s legacy than Holloway’s. However, the result of the fight itself means more for Holloway, of course, because he’s not the one retiring. Holloway wants to win a second belt at 155 pounds, and a victory over Poirier would likely put him one win away from a title shot. If Poirier beats him for the third time, Holloway will find himself out of title contention.
Hale: Poirier by a country mile. The overall credibility of the BMF championship has diminished since its inception in 2019. No BMF titleholder has gone on to win their next fight or successfully defended the title. Jorge Masvidal, Gaethje and Holloway all won the title and lost their next fight, which means that Kamaru Usman, who beat Masvidal in his next fight after claiming the belt, and Topuria, who recently beat Holloway, have legitimate claims to the fictional title. It’s all convoluted these days, but if anybody has earned the right to be called a BMF, it’s Dustin Poirier. He’s a fan favorite who has been blocked from acquiring proper UFC gold on three occasions against arguably the greatest lightweights of all time in Nurmagomedov, Charles Oliveira and Makhachev. Getting a chance to raise a title in his hometown would mean far more for his legacy than it would for Holloway, and it would provide a lasting image for a fairy tale ending that few get in the UFC.
Parker’s early best bet
Poirier to win by decision. The final fight in this trilogy comes at the perfect time for both fighters. In their last fight, Poirier won the interim lightweight title by unanimous decision, and it’s hard to picture this fight going any differently. Holloway is coming off the first knockout loss of his career at the hands of Topuria at UFC 308 in October. And with this fight at 155 pounds, I think Poirier carries more power and has the durability to take whatever Holloway sends his way. This has all the makings of a five-round, fight-of-the-night banger.
