UFC 318 results: Dustin Poirier loses final bout to Max Holloway, bids emotional farewell
While the storybook ending didn't take place at UFC 318, Poirier (30-10 MMA, 22-9 UFC) retired at Smoothie King Center with his head held high. After his "BMF title defeat by unanimous decision to Max Holloway (27-8 MMA, 23- 8 UFC), Poirier signed off in front of his home state crowd."
"I feel loved by the fans, Louisiana, and the company," Poirier said in the cage, before an emotional tribute video played for him. "I didn't know I'd touch as many people as I did just by chasing my dreams."
The scorecards were 48-47, 49-46, and 49-46.
Poirier overcame being dropped by a Holloway right early. The moment audibly sucked the energy out of an arena that was riled up by Poirier's grand introduction – one that included the presence of Louisiana-bred rap legend Lil Wayne.
A shot of adrenalin would inject back into the arena in Round 2, however. After Poirier sustained another knockdown, he turned the tables on Holloway and put him on the canvas with a blow of his own. In true Poirier fashion, he hopped the guillotine. Holloway rolled and escaped, however.
Round 3 was a strong showing for Holloway, as the two fighters continued to get the other's timing down. Round 4 was closely contested, as was five. Over the course of 25 minutes, the dance never really paused. Both men went tit-for-tat, in a controlled yet nerve-racking way. In the final seconds, Poirier accepted Holloway's signature challenge to stand and bang, though the Hawaiian appeared to get the best of the exchange.
Poirier, 36, retires as one of the most violent, exciting and popular fighters in UFC history and he will likely find himself in the promotion's Hall of Fame. He won the interim UFC lightweight title in 2019. Outside of the cage, his charitable contributions to his community and beyond earned him the first-ever Forrest Griffin Community Award from the UFC.
Holloway retains his "BMF" title and bounces back from a knockout loss to Ilia Topuria. He moves to 4-1 in his most recent five fights. The bout avenges two prior losses to Poirier.
Up-to-the-minute UFC 318 results include:
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
43 minutes ago
- USA Today
Sean O'Malley loves BMF champ Max Holloway's options after UFC 318
Sean O'Malley sees various options for BMF champion Max Holloway's next fight. Holloway (27-8 MMA, 23- 8 UFC) became the first fighter to retain the BMF belt when he outlasted the retiring Dustin Poirier in Saturday's UFC 318 headliner at Smoothie King Center in New Orleans. "Wow, I'm so glad neither of them got knocked out," O'Malley said while watching Holloway vs. Poirier on his YouTube channel. "I thought it was the perfect way to end it. I mean, obviously for Dustin he wanted to get the win there, but God, that was such a sick fight. "Max Holloway officially at 155 (pounds), I love Max at 155. So, who's next for Holloway at 155? There's Arman Tsarukyan. Imagine Max vs. Charles (Oliveira)? That would be a f*cking sweet fight at 155. Ooh, Paddy (Pimblett) vs. Max Holloway at 155." Holloway wants to run things back with UFC lightweight champion Ilia Topuria, who knocked him out in their featherweight title fight at UFC 308. Topuria was the first to finish Holloway by strikes. Dana White is open to the rematch, and so is O'Malley. "Max vs. Ilia at 155? I mean, that's there," O'Malley added. "I don't know. Max vs. Ilia is always a sick fight." Former UFC bantamweight champion O'Malley concluded by praising Poirier (30-10 MMA, 22-9 UFC) for his career. "Dustin Poirier retirement fight, absolute legend," O'Malley said. "Super inspiring to see his career play out, the wins, the losses. He went up, he went down, he had some of the biggest fights with Conor McGregor. Very inspirational fella."
USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
Luke Rockhold: Darren Till doesn't belong in a ring or a cage with me
Luke Rockhold says boxing will also be his world against Darren Till. Former middleweight champion Rockhold boxes fellow ex-UFC fighter Darren Till in the Misfits Boxing 22: Ring of Thrones main event on Aug. 30 at AO Arena from Manchester, England. Rockhold has excelled in MMA with his grappling and kicks, but is confident that when he laces up the gloves, he'll find success there as well – even though it's Till who's the more proven boxer after amassing a 3-0 record in exhibition boxing. "I've got a million options if I fight Darren Till – mainly kick him," Rockhold told Submission Radio. "Kick through his head, kick through his body, and then beat him up on the ground. There's a million different options. This will be a little bit more of a level playing field, but I still don't think that Darren Till belongs in a ring or a cage with me. "Darren's tough. He's a tough guy, but he's got a breaking point. I think he's complacent at times, and I think there are going to be openings. I can pressure him. I can hit him. People haven't seen me in the boxing ring. I can move. I can move, and I can hit hard with both hands. I'm nothing like anybody he's faced in recent times." With a win over Till, Rockhold wants to take out the popular names in boxing whom he doesn't think belong. "There's one thing I don't like in this world is just fake, bullshit f*cking people," Rockhold said. "The world is full of pathetic, fake people these days. I'm here, and the only reason I still fight is to fight for the greater good of real man, real sh*t. "I'm going to go out there, and I'm going to put Darren Till down, and I'm going to clean up Jake Paul and all these little f*cking minions. That's where I'm at. I'd like to set the world straight. The world's going in the wrong direction, and what excites me to fight is just to correct the bullsh*t of this world."
New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
Jake Retzlaff commits to Tulane after leaving BYU amid potential suspension: Sources
Former BYU quarterback Jake Retzlaff has committed to play at Tulane this upcoming season, three people briefed on the situation told The Athletic. Retzlaff, who was BYU's starter last season, withdrew from BYU earlier this month as he was facing a suspension for violating BYU's Honor Code around premarital sex. Retzlaff had been accused of sexual assault and battery in a civil lawsuit in May. The suit was later jointly withdrawn by both parties; Retzlaff had denied the assault claims and said it was a consensual encounter. Advertisement Sources briefed on the situation told The Athletic that Retzlaff was vetted by Tulane's Title IX office, but did not elaborate on what the vetting process involved. Due to the timing and his move outside the transfer portal, Retzlaff is set to enroll soon as a walk-on player. Retzlaff threw for 2,947 yards with 20 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, leading BYU to an 11-2 record last season and taking on the moniker of 'BYJew,' which led to an NIL deal with Manischewitz, the Jewish food brand. 'BYU has meant more to me than just football. It's been a place of growth — spiritually, mentally, and physically,' Retzlaff wrote in a post on Instagram on July 11, announcing his departure from BYU. 'I'm grateful for every teammate, coach, staff member, and fan who's supported me along the way. The relationship and memories I've made in Provo will always be a part of me.' Retzlaff and Tulane coach Jon Sumrall have a relationship that goes back to the quarterback's recruitment out of junior college, when he took a visit to Troy, where Sumrall coached at the time. Tulane is coming off a 9-5 season that saw the Green Wave go 7-1 in American Conference play, losing to Army in the conference championship game. The team then saw quarterback Darian Mensah leave for Duke and running back Makhi Hughes go to Oregon. The Green Wave have now added five transfer quarterbacks this offseason, including Retzlaff, Brendan Sullivan (Iowa), Kadin Semonza (Ball State) and Donovan Leary (Illinois). Tulane had also added TJ Finley (Western Kentucky), though he is no longer with the program following a spring arrest. At BYU, junior Treyson Bourguet, redshirt sophomore McCae Hillstead and freshman Bear Bachmeier will likely compete to start at quarterback.
