Max Holloway defeats Dustin Poirier for the BMF title, UFC 318 results
Dustin Poirier retires from the UFC one of the 'baddest mother**ers' the promotion has ever seen. But he isn't the baddest.
That title still belongs to Max Holloway after the former featherweight champion defended his crown via unanimous decision in the UFC 318 main event on Sunday, which also doubled as Poirier's final fight.
Watch the biggest Aussie sports & the best from overseas LIVE on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1.
It was the third time the two had met, with Poirier winning the previous two fights after submitting Holloway in the 33-year-old's UFC debut and then later defeating him by unanimous decision seven years later with the interim lightweight title on the line.
A classy Holloway had a few words for the crowd before quickly handing the microphone over to Poirier.
'First things first, I love you Louisiana. I know I had to be the villain. I'm so sorry,' Holloway said.
'But thank you for the hospitality. All I'm going to say is a lot of motherf***ers coming after this belt, come get me and I've got some issue with the champ, so UFC you're moving next.
'This ain't my moment. I'm done talking, this is Dustin's retirement fight. Give it up for the man.'
When Poirier stepped up to the microphone, he wasn't as emotional as he was after the UFC played a tribute video to the 36-year-old on the big screen, although even then he was able to hold the tears in as he reflected on all he had achieved in his career.
'It's been overwhelming honestly. I feel appreciated. I feel seen,' Poirier said.
'I've never been able to step outside of fighting and look at it this way honestly. I've been going through fighting and trying to grind to the next thing and provide for me and the family.
'I've never been able to get it from third person. This week has been incredible. I feel loved by the fans, Louisiana and the company. I didn't know I'd touched as many people as I had by chasing my dreams. I'm grateful... I love you all.'
Holloway had the first big moment of the fight, dropping Poirier early in the first round and then continued to pour on the pressure in the second.
The champion had all the momentum at that point until Poirier sent Holloway to the canvas in the final stages of the round and immediately jumped on the guillotine attempt.
When he realised he didn't have enough time to lock it in Poirier transitioned to the ground and pound, unleashing a series of brutal elbows but Holloway was able to make it to the bell.
It was the closest Poirier got to finishing Holloway, with the champion having particular success working to the body as he outlasted a determined Poirier to claim the win.
Australian Alexander Volkanovski had predicted Holloway would spoil Poirier's final fight and it was a striking clinic from the BMF champion, who had the advantage 113-99 in significant head strikes, 46-5 in significant body strikes and 23-9 in leg kicks.
'He's coming off the first knockout loss ever. Not many people can bounce back from that,' Volkanovski said on Fight Week.
'A lot of people change after that. But there's only few that can bounce back in a positive way, and I know he's one of them.
'I know he'll be the type of guy to make the right adjustments or come back not only the same guy he was, maybe even look better. You might see Max even better.
'I think he's that type of guy that can come back with a bounce back – not only bounce back to where he was, which was already incredible, but bounce back even more than that. If he does that, it just shows you how good that bloke is.'
COSTA CALLS OUT 'MOTHERF***ER' CHIMAEV IN CO-MAIN EVENT
Earlier, Paulo Costa beat middleweight contender Roman Kopylov with a solid showing of striking in the co-main event, winning via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28).
The Brazilian then called out Khamzat Chimaev, as expected, telling foxsports.com.au earlier in the week of his plans should he reign supreme on Sunday.
He also previously declared on Ariel Helwani's show that 'win or lose, I want to fight that motherf***er'.
In fact, Costa went as far as to say he wants a shot at Chimaev more than he wants a fight for the world title.
'I don't care about the title. I care, but this is most important to me,' he said.
Speaking after his win, Costa doubled down.
'Everybody knows I hate that guy, everybody knows who. That motherf****r Chimaev, yeah. He is a big a*****e,'
'You know my wife is over here, he DM her. This is not good. This is bad thing in every culture, he says bad things about me, about her.
'But he never says (it) to me because he is a coward. Chimaev you are a coward and I'm here, I'm going to look for you, I am going to chase for you.
'I will not stop until I get to you.'
CRUTE CAN SEE A WORLD TITLE IN HIS FUTURE FOR THE 'FIRST TIME'
Australian Jimmy Crute said he can picture a world title in his future for the 'first time' in his career after securing his first win in the UFC since 2020 on Sunday.
Crute submitted the tricky Marcin Prachnio with a nasty armbar late in the first round of their UFC 318 fight on the early prelims, showing off his grappling skills early in the fight to take control before getting the finish.
'The armbar used to be my move,' Crute said in his post-fight press conference.
'I used to hit everyone with the armbars earlier in my career. I sort of went away from it because you lose position but he gave it to me and I went thank you.
'As soon as I got it I'm like, 'Oh he's not going to tap and I have to do some damage here'. Instead of reefing on it too early though I tried to play the position, get it nice and secure and then rip on it.'
An honest Crute admitted that it had been a 'rollercoaster' of a week, with so much on the line for the 29-year-old given his recent run of results inside the octagon.
'The nerves were up and down,' Crute said.
'I've sort of played it off before, but getting a victory does mean a lot because I put so much work into this. I really put everything into this man. Every waking moment I'm training or I'm thinking about training. So for it to pay off is just nice.'
Crute's last win came via a first-round knockout of Modestas Bukauskas almost five years ago, with the Australian recording two draws and three losses since that point.
Crute called out fellow light heavyweight Dustin Jacoby after the victory, challenging him ahead of the UFC's Fight Night card in Perth in September.
'I just think it's a good fight for both of us,' Crute said.
'It's a good test for both of us. I know that's not an easy fight, he's a hell of a crafty dude. So that's just the name that came to my head. I didn't think about it beforehand. But when I was in the moment, it just popped into my head.'
While Crute's career trajectory seemed to have stalled in recent years, the Australian was once one of the UFC's most-highly rated prospects and was even ranked ESPN's top MMA fighter under 25 in 2020.
That was despite Crute effectively 'learning on the job' and it is why the Bendigo brawler feels like he still has a run towards the title left in him.
'I had one amateur fight, seven pro wins and outside of that I had like 50 jujitsu matches on the regional scene in Australia, no striking matches. So I've been learning on the job pretty much in the UFC,' Crute said.
'I don't have much experience in the way of fights so I feel like it's my time to shine now. I see a world title in my picture for the first time in my career. I've never been able to visualise it and I see it there.'
Originally published as 'I'm so sorry': Holloway's classy act as Poirier falls short of title dream
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Sydney Morning Herald
2 minutes ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Could AI change rugby league? The revolution has already begun
Pressed on specifics, Driussi was diplomatically vague: 'We're exploring multiple AI applications, but competitive advantage comes from execution, not just ideas. The technology helps us analyse information and identify patterns that might otherwise be missed.' What makes the Bulldogs' AI adoption particularly intriguing is Driussi's other role as CEO of Quantium, an Australian artificial intelligence and advanced analytics company. The firm works with major Australian companies, such as Woolworths, Commonwealth Bank, Telstra and Qantas. The connection provides the Bulldogs access to world-class AI expertise that would typically cost NRL clubs millions of dollars to develop themselves. While Driussi is careful not to discuss any formal arrangements, the potential for knowledge transfer is obvious. The 'Family Club' previously revealed it used AI to identify Jacob Preston during his recruitment from the Roosters' pathways system, suggesting the technology has been instrumental in some of their personnel decisions. AI's influence on sport was one of the topics discussed at the NRL's Business of Sport Conference in Las Vegas at the University of Nevada, just before this year's season-opening matches at Allegiant Stadium. The headline speakers were Driussi and Paul Devlin, the latter the global strategy leader for betting, gaming and sports technology at Amazon Web Services. Devlin, who has held high-performance roles at the Brisbane Broncos, South Sydney, Parramatta and Melbourne Storm, said AI would transform the sporting landscape. 'We see AI as absolutely revolutionary, and we think it will impact every area of business in the future,' Devlin says. 'So everybody should be experimenting with it right now, so that was kind of the key message that came out of that NRL event ... AI is going to improve every area of business, but it is really clear on the insight generation from the data side of it in a sport like rugby league on talent identification, load monitoring, safety of the games through simulations, as well as the fan side of sport as well.' Several NRL clubs are already dabbling with AI. One leading head coach, speaking on the condition of anonymity to protect the club's intellectual property, said that AI had the potential to help analysts wade through reams of data to come up with a couple of key takeaways when preparing for an opponent. 'That's where I see the next step in world sport, how AI can save you time in identifying those trends so you're not wasting time doing it yourself,' the coach says. 'The advantage you get is saving man-hours, so you actually spend less time on computers and more with the players. 'You can see the information that's relevant; missed tackles is the most outdated stat because there's no context to it. And completion rates; seven of the top-10 completing teams didn't make the finals last year.' Here's a practical example of how AI is being used. One club found the best way to beat the Storm is to limit their time in possession. If you can restrict them to less than 23 minutes and 25 seconds with the football – they average 26 minutes and 36 seconds – you have an almost 100 per cent chance of winning. Not easy to do in reality, but it's useful information. While most NRL teams focus heavily on pre-contact metres – the distance gained before first defensive contact – to build momentum, a different focus is required to beat Canberra. AI found the Raiders were uniquely driven by post-contact metres, those tough yards gained after contact. Limit those metres, and you can stop the Green Machine. Canterbury's embracing of AI reflects a broader transformation sweeping through professional sport worldwide. American sports leagues are leading the charge, with the NFL processing more than 500 million data points per season through its Digital Athlete system, reducing player injuries by 700 missed games since 2023. Major League Baseball has implemented AI for pitching analysis and injury prevention, while the NBA uses machine learning for player load management and game strategy optimisation. English Premier League clubs are using AI for recruitment: Brighton's system identified Moises Caicedo before his eventual £115 million ($240 million) transfer from them to Chelsea, while Liverpool's partnership with Google DeepMind has produced tactical analysis tools that club experts prefer over traditional methods 90 per cent of the time. The secrecy surrounding Canterbury's AI implementation is understandable given the competitive implications; NRL clubs are notoriously protective of innovations that might provide advantages. The technological investment aligns with the Bulldogs' recent restructure. The blue and whites are constructing a $50 million centre of excellence at Belmore and have significantly expanded their pathways programs, including taking over the Fiji Silktails program. 'We're building for long-term success,' Driussi says. 'That means investing in the best people, the best facilities and the best technology available to us.' Bulldogs chief executive Aaron Warburton confirmed the club's commitment to innovation. 'We're always looking at ways to improve our operations and give our players and staff the best possible tools to succeed,' Warburton says. 'Technology is certainly part of that equation.' Loading The club's return to finals football last year, after missing the post-season for eight seasons, has been attributed to improved recruitment, player development and coaching. However, the role of AI in this transformation remains largely hidden. Given the global AI sports market is tipped to grow from $1.2 billion to nearly $30 billion by 2032, getting in early could be the key to success. Already, rivals are playing catch-up to Canterbury. For a club that has endured wooden spoons and years of mediocrity, the Bulldogs are marrying old-school values with cutting-edge technology. Whether that translates to premiership glory remains to be seen, but the Bulldogs are betting heavily that the future of rugby league will be shaped by artificial intelligence.
Sydney Morning Herald
2 minutes ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
When it comes to selling the Tszyu dream, it's ‘No más'
In the closing stages of the ninth round, Horn looked cooked. The Brisbane school teacher just made it to the bell after soaking up Pacquiao's biggest blows. As Horn sat on his stool, veteran referee Mark Nelson had seen enough. 'Jeff, listen, I'm here to protect you, ok?' Nelson said. 'I think you've had enough. Do you want to continue?' Horn's trainer, Glenn Rushton, was adamant his charge still had some fight left in him. 'Show me something in this round,' Nelson said, 'Or I'm going to stop the fight.' Horn rose from the stool. In those championship rounds, against one of the greatest of them all - Pacquiao is an eight-division world champion who has held belts in every weight class from 50 to 69 kilograms - the Australian underdog etched himself into sporting folklore. Three years later, in a fight against Tszyu, Horn was again on his stool at the end of the eighth. Tszyu had battered a punch-drunk Horn - who by this stage of his career had been pummelled by pound-for-pound king Terence Crawford - into submission. 'Have you got a punch left in you or not?' Rushton asked his fighter. 'No,' was the reply. 'Do you want to give us a minute?' On this occasion the right call was made. The fight was stopped and Horn never fought again. Which brings us back to Tszyu. When he was getting pumelled by Russian Bakhram Murtazaliev, in another humbling world title loss last October, he was too brave for his own good. After being knocked down on four separate occasions, the massacre only ended when his brother, Nikita, threw in the towel. On that occasion, the 'Soul Taker' had nothing left to give. But was that the case in his rematch with Fundora? Some of the most powerful men in the sport felt Tszyu quit prematurely. Turki Al-Sheikh, the billionaire Saudi Arabian boxing promoter, said this in a Tweet that was subsequently deleted. 'I said to you from the beginning, Tim Tszyu does not deserve to be on a Riyadh Season or Ring Magazine card. He can be a useful sparring partner for a champion in Riyadh Season.' Al-Sheikh had previously ruled out ever dealing with Tszyu again after the Australian pulled out of a scheduled clash with Vergil Ortiz Jnr, citing his recovery from the cut Fundora inflicted in their first fight. Which leaves Tszyu with precious few options as he attempts to rebuild a career and brand on the precipice. After opting to end the fight on his stool, the stock price of No Limit and broadcaster Main Event crashed through the floor. Charging punters $70, the going rate for the privilege of tuning into a Tszyu fight, will become an almost impossible sell. It was the same asking price to witness Paul Gallen earn a controversial points decision against long-time rival Sonny Bill Williams last week. There was one main difference between the Tszyu fight and that event, which was shown exclusively on Stan which, like this masthead, is owned by Nine Entertainment Regardless of the outcome, viewers knew Gallen, just like he did on the football field, would do everything humanly possible to win. Gallen isn't one to literally or figuratively finish on his stool. It's been 45 years since the most infamous end to a boxing bout. In the eighth round of their rematch, Roberto Duran waved his glove and turned his back on Sugar Ray Leonard. The man dubbed 'Hands of Stone' had had enough. 'No más,' said Duran, meaning 'No more' in Spanish. At some point, Tszyu will likely attempt another comeback. His spruikers will try to sell the dream; that he can overcome the latest setback, that he can add to the family's fighting legacy, that he can again become a world champion.
The Age
2 minutes ago
- The Age
When it comes to selling the Tszyu dream, it's ‘No más'
In the closing stages of the ninth round, Horn looked cooked. The Brisbane school teacher just made it to the bell after soaking up Pacquiao's biggest blows. As Horn sat on his stool, veteran referee Mark Nelson had seen enough. 'Jeff, listen, I'm here to protect you, ok?' Nelson said. 'I think you've had enough. Do you want to continue?' Horn's trainer, Glenn Rushton, was adamant his charge still had some fight left in him. 'Show me something in this round,' Nelson said, 'Or I'm going to stop the fight.' Horn rose from the stool. In those championship rounds, against one of the greatest of them all - Pacquiao is an eight-division world champion who has held belts in every weight class from 50 to 69 kilograms - the Australian underdog etched himself into sporting folklore. Three years later, in a fight against Tszyu, Horn was again on his stool at the end of the eighth. Tszyu had battered a punch-drunk Horn - who by this stage of his career had been pummelled by pound-for-pound king Terence Crawford - into submission. 'Have you got a punch left in you or not?' Rushton asked his fighter. 'No,' was the reply. 'Do you want to give us a minute?' On this occasion the right call was made. The fight was stopped and Horn never fought again. Which brings us back to Tszyu. When he was getting pumelled by Russian Bakhram Murtazaliev, in another humbling world title loss last October, he was too brave for his own good. After being knocked down on four separate occasions, the massacre only ended when his brother, Nikita, threw in the towel. On that occasion, the 'Soul Taker' had nothing left to give. But was that the case in his rematch with Fundora? Some of the most powerful men in the sport felt Tszyu quit prematurely. Turki Al-Sheikh, the billionaire Saudi Arabian boxing promoter, said this in a Tweet that was subsequently deleted. 'I said to you from the beginning, Tim Tszyu does not deserve to be on a Riyadh Season or Ring Magazine card. He can be a useful sparring partner for a champion in Riyadh Season.' Al-Sheikh had previously ruled out ever dealing with Tszyu again after the Australian pulled out of a scheduled clash with Vergil Ortiz Jnr, citing his recovery from the cut Fundora inflicted in their first fight. Which leaves Tszyu with precious few options as he attempts to rebuild a career and brand on the precipice. After opting to end the fight on his stool, the stock price of No Limit and broadcaster Main Event crashed through the floor. Charging punters $70, the going rate for the privilege of tuning into a Tszyu fight, will become an almost impossible sell. It was the same asking price to witness Paul Gallen earn a controversial points decision against long-time rival Sonny Bill Williams last week. There was one main difference between the Tszyu fight and that event, which was shown exclusively on Stan which, like this masthead, is owned by Nine Entertainment Regardless of the outcome, viewers knew Gallen, just like he did on the football field, would do everything humanly possible to win. Gallen isn't one to literally or figuratively finish on his stool. It's been 45 years since the most infamous end to a boxing bout. In the eighth round of their rematch, Roberto Duran waved his glove and turned his back on Sugar Ray Leonard. The man dubbed 'Hands of Stone' had had enough. 'No más,' said Duran, meaning 'No more' in Spanish. At some point, Tszyu will likely attempt another comeback. His spruikers will try to sell the dream; that he can overcome the latest setback, that he can add to the family's fighting legacy, that he can again become a world champion.
