Latest news with #UFC308
USA Today
a day ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Dustin Poirier weighs in on Max Holloway's chances in Ilia Topuria rematch
NEW ORLEANS – Dustin Poirier thinks Max Holloway could do better in a rematch vs. UFC lightweight champion Ilia Topuria. Poirier (30-10 MMA, 22-9 UFC) lost his retirement fight to BMF champion Holloway in Saturday's UFC 318 headliner at Smoothie King Center. Prior to beating Poirier, Holloway (27-8 MMA, 23- 8 UFC) was knocked out by Topuria for the first time in his career at UFC 308. Holloway was also dropped by Poirier in their fight, and "The Diamond" was asked if he thinks Holloway's chin has now been compromised. "I have a lot of finishes, Gaethje has a lot of finishes, obviously Ilia is knocking everybody out back-to-back," Poirier told MMA Junkie. "It could just be a bad run, it could be time catching up. As he continues, we'll see. It's tough to say because everybody is so different genetically. It's a wild thing to try and pinpoint, but if he starts getting hurt with shots we know would never hurt him three years ago, then we can make that conclusion. I think it's still too early. We need to see him in a few more fights." Holloway could be looking at a rematch with Topuria (17-0 MMA, 9-0 UFC) next – an option UFC CEO Dana White did not rule out. If Holloway gets his wish, Poirier pointed to the rematch being at lightweight now instead of featherweight as a key factor. "I think Max would have to change up his approach to the fight," Poirier said. "You know, use his lateral footwork like he did with me, stay on the bike, use his length. But, man, if Ilia lands on anybody – like I said, anybody from 145 to 170, if he lands clean, I think he puts guys out. Maybe Max has a little bit more durability at '55, coming in a little bit healthier, a little bit more hydrated on fight night. Maybe that could play a little bit into him being able to absorb the shots, but we'll see."
USA Today
a day ago
- Sport
- 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
a day ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Daniel Cormier: Max Holloway painted 'a masterpiece' vs. Dustin Poirier at UFC 318
Daniel Cormier thinks Max Holloway fought the perfect fight at UFC 318. Holloway (27-8 MMA, 23- 8 UFC) retained his BMF title by outlasting the retiring Dustin Poirier (30-10 MMA, 22-9 UFC) in Saturday's main event at Smoothie King Center in New Orleans. Holloway had Poirier in trouble a couple of times and outstruck "The Diamond" over the course of the fight. Cormier was very impressed with Holloway's performance. "Max Holloway fought an unbelievable fight," Cormier said on his YouTube channel. "He truly did paint a masterpiece. He was out there moving, he was out there off the center line, he was out there landing, and he really did show that there's a lot of tread on the tire, and a lot of opportunity for Max to be in contention at 155 pounds. "His combination punching is as good as we have seen from Max Holloway forever. His power was on display again. He hurt Dustin Poirier twice early in the fight. The one knock on Max Holloway before was that it took so much for him to break his opponents down." Holloway was able to rebound after suffering the first knockout loss of his career to lightweight champion Ilia Topuria last October at UFC 308. Cormier now sees "Blessed" in the 155-pound title picture. "Max Holloway is still very viable in this weight class, and I believe that he's dangerous to a lot of guys at 155 pounds," Cormier said. "But the activity was the same. The cardio, the pace, the movement – it was vintage Max Holloway. So, congrats to Max on being the first person ever to defend the BMF title."
USA Today
4 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Undisputed or not, Israel Adesanya says Dustin Poirier 'a champion no matter what'
Israel Adesanya thinks Dustin Poirier's legacy shouldn't be discredited for never winning an undisputed UFC title. Poirier (30-9 MMA, 22-8 UFC), a former interim lightweight champion, will make his final walk to the octagon when he challenges Max Holloway (26-8 MMA, 22-8 UFC) for the BMF title in Saturday's UFC 318 headliner at Smoothie King Center (ESPN+ pay-per-view, ESPN, ESPN+). On the same night Poirier claimed the interim title in an all-out war vs. Holloway at UFC 236, Adesanya outlasted Kelvin Gastelum in a Fight of the Year to capture the interim middleweight belt. Adesanya says Poirier's resume speaks for itself. "Dustin's been the guy in the UFC that's always a company man," Adesanya said on his YouTube channel. "Whenever it's time to toe the line in battle, he's a guy that's always ready to go. (He's a) hard worker – represents his people of Lafayette, La. He's always represented his people. He's always represented himself well, carries himself as a champion, and I've always said this, as well, because people try and try to discredit his win as a champion. "He is a champion no matter what. He's got a belt at his house, at his gym, sitting there to represent him as a champion at one point. So people who are trying to say, 'Oh, you never really became the undisputed.' No, when you're the interim champion, you're the f*cking champion. He's had a career in the UFC that's second to none. You'd be blessed to have the career, even half the career that Dustin's had in the UFC." Despite the high praise, Adesanya initially picked Holloway to win. "He still tends to, when he gets tired, he reverts back to his old habits, which is flat-footedness and plodding forward and throwing without setting things up," Adesanya said of Poirier. "Sometimes – but he's changed that. But again, when he gets tired, (he does that). "Max doesn't really get tired. Dustin was able to outwork him in that second fight when they fought for the belt. Dustin hurt Max, rocked him. (It was the) first time I've seen Max rocked, and Dustin was able to keep going. ... For him to get this done and retire on top, beating Max three times, that will be a feather in his cap, a good way to ride off into the sunset. But Max is going to try and spoil the party with the Blessed Express. I'm going with Max in this fight." Adesanya eventually retracted his prediction and said he won't pick a winner. He doesn't see Holloway's first-career knockout loss to Ilia Topuria at UFC 308 having a negative impact on his approach. "After the last fight, Max will be more defensively sound because he's never been knocked out before," Adesanya said. "Max is not going to get gun shy, but he'll be smarter now with the weight because Max has taken a lot of shots. Your chin only holds up for so long. Lightweight Max, I still think can knock out Dustin Poirier, and Dustin has taken Max's best shots in the past and keep going forward. "This time could be different. I wouldn't advise that for Dustin. Max, however: Fight smart. Fight at range. Fight on the edge of Dustin's range. Be in his face, but don't let him just walk forward without paying, don't let him just walk forward without eating something. Dustin just has to mix up the takedowns or even threaten the takedowns to keep Max guessing."
USA Today
4 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Reinier de Ridder: Pressure key in beating Robert Whittaker at UFC on ABC 9
ABU DHABI – Reinier de Ridder plans on bringing the fight to Robert Whittaker at UFC on ABC 9. De Ridder (20-2 MMA, 3-0 UFC) meets former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker (26-8 MMA, 17-6 UFC) in the July 26 main event at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. De Ridder won't put too much stock into Whittaker's quick submission loss to Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 308. Instead, he expects the version who blasted Ikram Aliskerov for a first-round knockout at UFC on ABC 6. "He's been at the top for so long. We've seen him win spectacularly. We've seen him lose spectacularly," De Ridder told MMA Junkie of Whittaker. "The Khamzat fight I don't put too much in because it was clear that that wasn't a great choke. The positioning wasn't perfect, the positioning of his arms wasn't perfect. I just think he got lucky there. That injury was already in place, and he was able to take advantage of that. "But a little while before that against Ikram (Aliskerov), he did amazing. Robert did very well, and it showed us how dangerous he still is. It's a great warning for me that I cannot go into the fight like Ikram did. I cannot give him space. I cannot give him time to look and see, because he has real knockout power, and very nice, clean, straight shots. I've got to be very mindful of that." De Ridder was able to walk down previously undefeated Bo Nickal, wear him out, and finish him at UFC on ESPN 67. He plans on doing the same to Whittaker. "The pressure is the most important thing for me," De Ridder said. "I've got to put pressure on him. I've got to bring the heat early because I cannot let him move. I cannot let him see what's happening. I cannot let him play. He likes to bounce. He likes to look, and I'm sure I'm going to take him down. It's what I like the most, and I have to put him on his ass at least once. But we'll see if I can do damage meanwhile before."
