Dustin Poirier ends MMA career in defeat as Max Holloway claims trilogy win at UFC 318
The result was a victory for lightweight Holloway by unanimous decision on the three judges' cards — 48-47, 49-46, 49-46 — at UFC 318 in New Orleans on Saturday night.
Holloway (27-8 MMA) was classy in victory against Poirier, as he had lost the first two fights of the series before returning the favor in Louisiana native Poirier's last MMA bout.
'The baddest man alive, bro,' said Holloway, 33. 'Give it up for Dustin Poirier.'
A first-round knockdown from the Hawaiian set the tone early as Holloway nearly finished Poirier (30-10) but his 36-year-old opponent persevered.
By Round 4, Poirier had little energy left but admitted post-fight that he was impressed that the former featherweight champion Holloway's striking was still as sharp as ever. According to the final stats on the broadcast, Holloway outlanded Poirier 113-99 in significant head strikes.
'I thought he was going to be in here cracking a little bit harder, which he was,' Poirier said of Holloway. 'This guy is tough to deal with when he's in front of you. He's slick. He's crafty. He's fast. He's the (BMF) champ. I got nothing but respect for Max, man. He's one of the good guys.'
Max Holloway (red gloves) hugs Dustin Poirier (blue gloves) during UFC 318 at Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana, on July 19, 2025. — Stephen Lew/Imagn Images pic
Holloway made his first defense of the 'BMF' title a successful one since winning it last April at UFC 300. It is unclear what direction the belt takes, as it is not associated with a division and has been used infrequently since November 2019
Paulo Costa of Brazil got back in the win column with a unanimous decision over Roman Kopylov, utilizing his boxing to sweep the cards 30-27, 30-27, 29-28. Costa (15-4) remains in the middleweight title picture, while Kopylov (14-4) had won his last two fights.
The next two fights also saw another string of decisions with welterweight Daniel Rodriguez outlasting Kevin Holland despite a late rally from Holland nearly finishing him in Round 3 with strikes. The cards read 29-28, 29-28, 29-28, as Holland (28-14) was another betting favorite at the expense of Rodriguez (20-5).
Patricio Pitbull earned his first UFC victory with a win by unanimous decision over featherweight Dan Ige by identical 29-28 scores. Pitbull's wrestling was too much for Ige, who entered the fight having lost two of his last three fights. Pitbull (37-8) last fought in April at UFC 314, where Ige (19-10) earned a win on the same card.
UFC 318's pay-per-view got underway with lightweight Michael Johnson earning a unanimous decision in an upset of Daniel Zellhuber. The 39-year-old Johnson (24-19) was a significant underdog entering the fight but won the cards with matching 29-28 scores. A second-round knockdown swung the fight in Johnson's favor, as Zellhuber (15-3) now has lost back-to-back outings. — Reuters
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Malay Mail
13 hours ago
- Malay Mail
Son Heung-min leaves Tottenham Spurs after 10 years for LAFC in record US$26m deal
LONDON, Aug 7 — LAFC hailed the signing of a 'global icon' on Wednesday after confirming the arrival of South Korea star Son Heung-min from Tottenham. The 33-year-old will reportedly cost a Major League Soccer record US$26 million transfer fee, according to ESPN and The Athletic, after a decade in the Premier League where he became a household name. An emotional Son announced on Saturday in his homeland that he would be leaving Spurs, just months after ending the club's 17-year trophy drought by lifting the Europa League as captain. He leaves as Tottenham's fifth highest goalscorer of all-time with 173 goals in 454 appearances. 'Sonny is a global icon and one of the most dynamic and accomplished players in world football,' said LAFC co-president & general manager John Thorrington. 'We are proud that he has chosen Los Angeles for the next chapter of his extraordinary career. 'Sonny is a proven winner and a world-class individual, and we are confident he will elevate our club and inspire our community – both on and off the pitch.' Son is set to be presented at a press conference in Los Angeles at 2 pm local time (2100 GMT) His imminent arrival drew crowds on Tuesday to Los Angeles International Airport with fans waving South Korean flags and messages of support. Son will replace French striker Olivier Giroud, who was sold to Lille in July, and will share a dressing room with French goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, his former teammate at Tottenham. 'Sonny is one of the greatest players to ever wear the famous Lilywhite shirt and he has been a joy to watch over the past decade,' said Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy. 'Not only is he a wonderfully gifted footballer, but he's also an incredible human being who has touched hearts and inspired people throughout the club and all over the world. 'The Europa League triumph in Bilbao was a truly magical moment in the club's history and Sonny lifting the trophy is a perfect lasting memory from his fantastic decade at Tottenham Hotspur.' — AFP
Free Malaysia Today
a day ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Disney tops earnings forecasts with streaming gains, raises guidance
Shares of Walt Disney were down about 2% in premarket trading. (AP pic) LOS ANGELES : Walt Disney posted better-than-expected results for April through June and raised its full-year earnings guidance today as the company's streaming television profit grew and US theme park visitors increased their spending. Adjusted earnings per share rose 16% from a year ago to US$1.61 for Disney's fiscal third quarter. Analysts had expected US$1.47, according to the consensus estimate from LSEG. For the full year ending in September, the company projected adjusted EPS of US$5.85, a 10-cent increase from a prior forecast. The rosy earnings report was released a day after Disney announced a major deal with the National Football League, which will take a 10% equity stake in Disney's ESPN sports network. The value of the deal was not disclosed. Disney is working to build its streaming business in both sports and entertainment as traditional TV viewing declines. It is also expanding its popular theme parks and cruise lines. ESPN's new direct-to-consumer platform, priced at US$29.99 per month, is set to launch on August 21. Earlier in the day, Disney struck a deal to become the exclusive US domestic home of all WWE Premium Live Events, including WrestleMania, starting 2026. Disney is paying US$1.6 billion for the rights, the Wall Street Journal reported today. CEO Bob Iger said the launch of the ESPN app and the NFL deal, along with a coming integration of Hulu into Disney+, would create 'a truly differentiated streaming proposition'. 'With ambitious plans ahead for all our businesses, we're not done building, and we are excited for Disney's future,' Iger said. The company projected it would add 10 million Disney+ and Hulu subscribers in the current quarter, most of them from an expanded partnership with cable operator Charter. Shares of Disney were down about 2% in premarket trading. In the just-ended quarter, operating income in the entertainment division fell 15% to US$1 billion. Disney attributed the drop to lower results from traditional television networks and the strong performance of the film 'Inside Out 2' a year earlier. Disney's parks division reported a 13% increase in operating income to US$2.5 billion. Profit at domestic parks rose 22% even with new competition in Orlando, Florida, from Universal's Epic Universe, which opened in late May, as visitors increased their spending. 'Walt Disney World in Orlando posted record revenue for the quarter,' Disney CFO Hugh Johnston said. At the sports unit, operating income rose 29% to US$1 billion. Domestic ESPN profit fell 3%, partly from higher programming and production costs, including rate increases for NBA games and college sports.
Malay Mail
a day ago
- Malay Mail
Son draws fans to airport even though MLS deal not official
LOS ANGELES, Aug 6 — South Korean star Son Heung-min has not even been officially announced as joining Los Angeles FC of MLS but excited fans are already waiting to welcome him. ESPN and The Athletic report that Son, who left Tottenham Hotspur last weekend, will sign with LAFC for an MLS-record transfer fee of US$26 million. After press reports about Son's possible arrival yesterday at Los Angeles International Airport, about 40 fans of Son went to see if they could get an autograph or photograph or even a glimpse of their idol. They were unable to see Son, however, after his sendoff in South Korea a few hours earlier. 'Son is immensely important to me. I used to wake up at five or six in the morning to watch him play in England,' Jun Kwon, a 19-year-old fan, told AFP. 'He's going to change things here. My father and I, who had no interest in MLS, are already won over.' He was wearing a gold and black LAFC jersey purchased Tuesday morning and printed with his idol's name. In a decade with Spurs, Son scored 173 goals in 454 matches. The winger confirmed his plans to leave Tottenham in Seoul last weekend after a final match with the Premier League club. At LAFC, Son will replace French striker Olivier Giroud, who was sold to Lille in July, and will share a dressing room with French goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, his former teammate at Tottenham. — AFP
