Latest news with #JoshHedges
Forbes
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Forbes
UFC Announces First Nine Fights For UFC 318 Fight Card
ATLANTA, GA - APRIL 12: (L-R) Max Holloway and Dustin Poirier face off during the UFC 236 weigh-in ... More at State Farm Arena on April 12, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images) The final fight of Dustin Poirier's long and illustrious UFC career will be a trilogy bout opposite the equally revered and respected Max Holloway. Holloway's symbolic BMF title will be on the line in that matchup. That scrap will headline the July 19 UFC 318 pay-per-view fight card at Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. The promotion has confirmed several other fights for the ESPN+ streaming PPV card. Max Holloway vs. Dustin Poirier Lightweight for Holloway's BMF Title Marvin Vettori vs. Brendan Allen - Middleweight Amanda Ribas vs. Tabatha Ricci - Strawweight Neil Magny vs. Gunnar Nelson - Welterweight Kyler Phillips vs. Vinicius Oliveira - Bantamweight Adam Fugitt vs. Islam Dulatov - Welterweight Jimmy Crute vs. Marcin Prachnio - Light Heavyweight Ikram Aliskerov vs. Brunno Ferreira - Middleweight Carli Judice vs. Nicolle Caliari - Women's Flyweight Saturday, July 19 Smoothie King Arena in New Orleans, LA On Sale on Friday, May 23 Main Card: 10:00 p.m. ET Preliminary Card: 8:00 p.m. ET Early Prelims: 6:00 p.m. ET ATLANTA, GA - APRIL 13: (R-L) Dustin Poirier punches Max Holloway in their interim lightweight ... More championship bout during the UFC 236 event at State Farm Arena on April 13, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images) Dustin Poirier (30-9-0-1) has been a UFC fighter since 2011. At the time he had a 7-1 record. Between 2011 and 2018, Poirier went 16-4-0-1, picking up notable wins over Max Holloway, Bobby Green, Jim Miller, Anthony Pettis, Justin Gaethje, and Eddie Alvarez. His losses during that stretch came to The Korean Zombie, Cub Swanson, Conor McGregor, and Michael Johnson. Poirier's wins over Miller, Pettis, Gaethje, and Alvarez set him up to fight for the interim UFC lightweight title against then-UFC featherweight titleholder Max Holloway. Poirier was the No. 3 ranked fighter in the UFC 155-pound division at the time, April 2019. Poirier claimed the interim crown with a decision win. In September 2019, Poirier faced Khabib Nurmagomedov in a title unification bout. Nurmagomedov won that contest by third-round submission. Three wins after that, including two TKO victories over Conor McGregor, put Poirier in another lightweight title fight. He lost that battle to Charles Oliveira, falling to a rear-naked choke in the third round of their December 2021 matchup. The 36-year-old Poirier is 2-2 since that setback with wins over Michael Chandler and Benoit Saint Denis. Poirier's losses during that run came against Justin Gaethje for the BMF title and, most recently, opposite Islam Makhachev for the UFC lightweight title at UFC 302 in June 2024. Poirier has 15 fight-night bonus awards, which ties him for fourth all-time in that category. Poirier is the No. 5 ranked UFC lightweight. ATLANTA, GA - APRIL 13: (R-L) Max Holloway punches Dustin Poirier in their interim lightweight ... More championship bout during the UFC 236 event at State Farm Arena on April 13, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images) Max Holloway (26-8) has been with the UFC since 2012. If there's a stat that the UFC tracks, chances are Holloway is among the leaders. He holds the UFC featherweight record for wins (20), finishes (11), knockouts (nine), win streak (13 straight), total fight time (6:58:57), significant strikes landed (2,971), and total strikes landed (3,180). Holloway's overall UFC records include significant strikes landed (3,457) and total strikes landed (3,706). Holloway's run as UFC featherweight champ began in June 2017 when he knocked out Jose Aldo. Holloway entered that contest as the interim champ, a belt he won by knocking out Anthony Pettis in December 2016. He defended his title against Aldo (TKO), Brian Ortega (TKO), and Frankie Edgar (decision). He also attempted to win the interim UFC lightweight belt during that run, but he fell short, dropping a decision to Dustin Poirier. Holloway's championship run ended in December 2019 when Alexander Volkanovski beat him by decision. Volkanovski retained the title in an immediate rematch. Wins over Calvin Kattar and Yair Rodriguez earned Holloway another shot at Volkanovski and his title in July 2022, but the champ retained his belt with a decision win. Holloway followed that setback with wins over Arnold Allen, the Korean Zombie, and Justin Gaethje. The Gaethje victory, a fight that many voted 'Fight of the Year' and 'Knockout of the Year,' earned Holloway the BMF title. That fight took place at 155 pounds. Holloway followed his BMF title win with the first knockout loss of his career, falling to Ilia Topuria in a UFC featherweight title fight in October 2024. Holloway is the No. 1 fighter in the official UFC featherweight rankings. He is also ranked at No. 12 at 155 pounds and sits at No. 12 in the pound-for-pound rankings. LAS VEGAS, NV - FEBRUARY 04: Dustin Poirier (blue shorts) attempts to submit Max Holloway during ... More the UFC 143 event at Mandalay Bay Events Center on February 4, 2012 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images) Poirier is 2-0 against Holloway. They first met in a featherweight scrap at UFC 143 in February 2012. The bout was Holloway's fifth pro fight and first as a member of the UFC. He was 4-0 heading into the contest. Meanwhile, Poirier had been with the WEC/UFC for two years by then with a 11-1 pro record. Poirier won that fight, and earned Submission of the Night, for his first-round triangle armbar stoppage. The two faced off for the second time in April 2019 at UFC 236. That matchup was for the interim UFC lightweight title. Poirier won that 'Fight of the Night' bonus-winning scrap. Poirier failed to unify the title, losing to Khabib Nurmagomedov by submission at UFC 242 in September 2019. ATLANTA, GA - APRIL 13: (L-R) Dustin Poirier and Max Holloway embrace after finishing five rounds ... More in their interim lightweight championship bout during the UFC 236 event at State Farm Arena on April 13, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images) We will have more on the UFC 318 fight card as fight night nears.
Forbes
27-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
UFC Veteran Retires In The Octagon After Taking Bloody Beatdown
UFC Kansas City (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC) When Anthony "Lionheart" Smith announced that Saturday night's fight against Zhang Mingyang would be his final fight, he didn't envision things going the way they did during the co-main event of UFC Kansas City. Zhang destroyed Smith in the first round, leaving him bloodied in the middle of the Octagon, ushering the veteran of 60 pro MMA fights out of the sport in the most unceremonious way possible. Here is a look at the finish as well as a shot of Smith's gloves left in the center of the Octagon. To be honest, I can't ever remember a fighter announcing their retirement fight beforehand and being beaten more soundly than Smith was on Saturday. It was a bit cringeworthy. The UFC and the near-16,000 people in attendance at the T-Mobile Arena in Kansas City helped to soften the blow. The UFC played a tribute video for Smith with his family and training partners by his side in the Octagon. KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - APRIL 26: Anthony Smith is interviewed after being defeated by Zhang ... More Mingyang of China in a light heavyweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at T-Mobile Center on April 26, 2025 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC) The video featured Hard Fought Hallelujah by Jelly Roll, with a foreword by the award-winning music artist and tributes from Smith's UFC announcing colleagues Laura Sanko, Jon Anik, Daniel Cormier, and others. The video also included shots of Smith's late trainer and best friend, Scott Morton. Here is a look at Smith's speech after the loss. After the UFC's video played, many in the UFC and MMA community took to social media to pay their respects. Smith spent a career in the UFC taking on challenges that few others would. Saturday's outcome wasn't the storybook ending he might have wanted, but it underscored just how brutal the fight game can be. Smith's story is outstanding. It is one of resilience and getting the most out of what one has. However, while he did once challenge for the UFC light heavyweight championship, Smith is not a Hall-of-Famer. Fans can become prisoners of the moment at times like this, but it simply doesn't fit in this case. Smith has a career record of 37-22 and he is 13-12 in the UFC. While his longevity should be celebrated, and he does an excellent job as an analyst, that's not a Hall-of-Fame resume. However, that's far more than most people will accomplish in the sport. UFC fans who have watched Smith's career unfold in real time, were at the heart of Saturday night's emotional farewell. There's something about a fighter who never ducked an opponent and always showed up that creates a lasting connection. That's what made Smith's departure sting a little more, even if we knew it was coming. The biggest ripple effect lands on Smith himself, but it also touches the UFC's light heavyweight division. Smith had become a familiar name in the Top 10 for years, and his departure opens up new space for up-and-coming fighters to break into the rankings. It also affects the UFC's broadcast team, where Smith will now be a full-time presence. Leading up to the fight, Smith made it clear that this would be his final bout. He didn't dodge questions about it during fight week and seemed comfortable in the decision. What no one expected was just how quickly the fight would unravel for him. Zhang showed up ready to ruin the send-off, and he did exactly that. KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - APRIL 26: Zhang Mingyang of China poses for a post fight portrait backstage ... More during the UFC Fight Night event at T-Mobile Center on April 26, 2025 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC) Smith will now return full-time to his analyst duties with the UFC. His insight and ability to communicate the nuances of the sport have already made him a standout on broadcasts. With his fighting career officially behind him, Smith will have the opportunity to continue making his mark in the MMA world without absorbing the punishment that defined so much of his time inside the Octagon–most recently on Saturday night.
