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Forbes
a day ago
- Sport
- Forbes
UFC 318 Fight Card: Odds, Lines, Prop Bets, Predictions And Picks
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - JULY 17: (L-R) Opponents Max Holloway and Dustin Poirier face off during ... More the UFC 318 press conference at Smoothie King Center on July 17, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Zuffa LLC) Zuffa LLC Saturday's UFC 318 fight card features a high-stakes lightweight matchup in the main event. In that contest, Max Holloway and Dustin Poirier meet for the third and final time. At stake in what will be Poirier's retirement matchup is Holloway's ceremonial BMF title. In the UFC 318 co-main event, top-15 ranked middleweights Paulo Costa and Roman Kopylov meet in a pivotal matchup. Below, we look at the betting odds, line movement, potential prop bets, and picks for the UFC 318 main card. UFC 318 takes place on Saturday, July 18, from Smoothie King Center in New Orleans. The UFC 318 PPV fight card streams on ESPN+ following prelims on ESPN and early prelims on UFC Fight Pass. Forbes UFC Announces First Nine Fights For UFC 319 PPV Fight Card By Trent Reinsmith NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - JULY 17: (L-R) Opponents Max Holloway and Dustin Poirier face off during ... More the UFC 318 press conference at Smoothie King Center on July 17, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC) Zuffa LLC 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. 6 ranked UFC lightweight. 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 was recently removed from the UFC featherweight rankings per his request. He is ranked at No. 5 at 155 pounds and sits at No. 11 in the pound-for-pound rankings. When the betting lines opened for this fight, Holloway was the -125 betting favorite over the +105 Poirier. Today, Holloway is listed at -140, while Poirier checks in at +115. Bettors are leaning toward the hometown fighter. Poirier has picked up 76 percent of the bets and 64 percent of the handle. One thing you need to do is forget about the first two fights between these two. The first matchup was Holloway's UFC debut. The second was Holloway moving up to lightweight for the first time under the UFC banner. Today, nearly nine years after that second fight, Holloway has developed into one of the best fighters in the UFC, a relentless pressure fighter who never stops moving, but who is also better at every facet of his striking game, which is where he excels. That's not to say Poirier isn't better as well, but his progress is more incremental when compared to Holloway's. Expect an active and exciting fight on Saturday night. Poirier is the better all-around fighter, but Holloway is the better striker. Poirier is under a lot of pressure in this matchup, and that could be a negative. He's fighting at home. The UFC has said this card has been built for him. He's retiring. If he can put all of that behind him and fight to his strengths, he has a good chance to win. However, if he looks to entertain and put his skills on the back burner, Holloway is likely to win because of his output and activity on the feet. The pick is Holloway to win via decision, but a Poirier pick is not out of line. Also, look for the fight to go the distance. UFC 318 Fight Card Co-Main Event: Betting Odds, Line Movement And Predictions - Paulo Costa Vs. Roman Kopylov NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - JULY 17: (L-R) Opponents Paulo Costa of Brazil and Roman Kopylov of Russia ... More face off during the UFC 318 press conference at Smoothie King Center on July 17, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Zuffa LLC) Zuffa LLC Paulo Costa (14-4) was 8-0 and coming off a defense of the Jungle Fight middleweight title when he joined the UFC in 2017. He opened his run with the promotion with four knockouts and one decision. That decision, an August 2019 win over Yoel Romero, earned Costa a shot at Adesanya in September 2020. Adesanya retained his title in that fight, knocking out Costa in the second round. Costa has not been an active competitor in the UFC. Between 2018 and 2022 he stepped into the Octagon once per year. He did not compete at all in 2023. In 2024, Costa went 0-2, losing a unanimous decision to former UFC middleweight champ Robert Whittaker in February and then dropping a split decision to ex-UFC 185 kingpin Sean Strickland in June. Costa has not competed since his loss to Strickland at UFC 302. Costa is 1-4 in his past five UFC outings. His only win during that stretch, which began with the Adesanya loss, was a August 2022 decision win over former UFC middleweight titleholder Luke Rockhold. Forbes UFC 318 Fight Card: Preliminary Card Odds, Picks And Predictions By Trent Reinsmith A former Fight Nights Global middleweight champ, Roman Kopylov (14-3) joined the UFC in 2019 with an 8-0 record. Kopylov had seven straight knockout wins heading into his UFC debut, a fight he lost to Karl Roberson via submission. COVID-19 and visa issues kept Kopylov out of action until October 2021. When he returned to the Octagon, Kopylov dropped a decision to Albert Duraev. Kopylov seemed to find his footing after those back-to-back losses. Between September 2022 and September 2023, he went 4-0 with four knockout wins. That winning streak did not earn Kopylov a spot inside the top 15 of the UFC's middleweight division, but it did get him booked opposite the No. 15 ranked Anthony Hernandez at UFC 298 in February. Hernandez won that fight via second-round submission. Kopylov came back from that defeat to beat César Almeida at UFC 302. In his most recent outing, Kopylov stopped Chris Curtis via head kick, in a 'Fight of the Night' affair on A UFC Fight Night card in January 2025. When the betting lines opened for this fight, Kopylov was the -250 betting favorite over the +200 Costa. Today, Kopylov is listed at -235, while Costa checks in at +190. Bettors like Costa, who has 70 percent of the bets and 51 percent of the money. NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - JULY 17: Roman Kopylov of Russia is seen on stage during the UFC 318 press ... More conference at Smoothie King Center on July 17, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC) Zuffa LLC Paulo Costa is a well-rounded fighter. However, he doesn't often use his complete skill set. Instead, he looks to engage in striking wars, landing an average of 6.22 significant strikes per minute, while absorbing 6.56 strikes per minute, which is not a great sign against a kickboxer like Kopylov. If Costa looks to get the fight to the mat, he has a chance to pick up the win on Saturday, but he has not earned a takedown since he defeated Yoel Romero by decision in 2019. Costa is a resilient fighter, so it's likely this one goes the distance, but look for the better striker, which is Kopylov, to win the decision. UFC 318 Fight Card: Betting Odds, Line Movement And Predictions - Kevin Holland Vs. Daniel Rodriguez NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - JULY 17: (L-R) Opponents Kevin Holland and Daniel Rodriguez face off during ... More the UFC 318 press conference at Smoothie King Center on July 17, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Zuffa LLC) Zuffa LLC Kevin Holland (28-13-0-1) was 12-3 when he earned his shot at a UFC contract on a Dana White's Contender Series card in June 2018. Despite getting a win, UFC CEO Dana White did not offer Holland a contract. However, Holland got the chance to fight for the UFC in August 2018 when Thiago Santos needed a short-notice opponent. Holland has been one of the more active UFC competitors since losing that contest by decision, fighting at middleweight and welterweight. Holland followed the loss to Santos with an 8-1 run, a stretch that included five victories between May 2020 and December 2020. His last win of that run was a 'Performance of the Night' bonus-winning knockout of ex-Strikeforce champion Ronaldo 'Jacare' Souza. Holland's career has been up-and-down since the highlight-reel win over Souza. He has a 7-8-0-1 record since then, never winning, or losing, more than two fights in a row. Holland is 2-2 in his past four outings, losing back-to-back fights to Roman Dolidze and Reinier de Ridder via stoppage before putting together a two-fight winning streak with victories over Gunnar Nelson and most recently, Vicente Luque. The 32-year Holland's two recent losses were at middleweight, his wins, both of which earned him a 'Performance of the Night' bonus, came at welterweight, where he is the No. 13 ranked fighter. Forbes UFC 318 Fight Card: Early Prelims Odds, Picks And Predictions By Trent Reinsmith Daniel Rodriguez (19-5) began his UFC career on a great run. Debuting with the promotion in 2020 with a 'Performance of the Night' bonus-winning submission win over veteran competitor Tim Means, Rodriguez went 8-1 in his first nine fights with the promotion. His only loss during that stretch was a decision setback to Nicolas Dalby in Rodriguez's fourth UFC fight of 2020. A September 2022 split decision win over Li Jingliang at UFC 279 put him in the co-main event of a UFC Fight Night card opposite veteran gatekeeper Neil Magny. At the time of that scrap, Magny was the No. 13 fighter in the UFC's welterweight division, while Rodriguez was No. 14. Magny turned back Rodriguez, submitting him in the third round. Rodriguez followed that setback with a TKO loss to Ian Machado Garry and a decision defeat to Kelvin Gastelum in a fight that was contested at middleweight after Gastelum had weight cutting issues. Rodriguez has bounced back from that three-fight losing skid with a decision win over Alex Morono in October 2024 and a TKO victory over Santiago Ponzinibbio in May. A win over Holland would likely put the 38-year-old Rodriguez back in the UFC rankings. When the betting lines opened for this fight, Holland was the -500 betting favorite over the +300 Rodriguez. The line has shifted. Today, Holland is listed at -600, while Rodriguez checks in at +425. Rodriguez has picked up most of the bets (63 percent), while the majority of the money is on Holland (69 percent). NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - JULY 17: Kevin Holland is seen on stage during the UFC 318 press conference ... More at Smoothie King Center on July 17, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC) Zuffa LLC Rodriguez is a good boxer, but he is not as well-rounded or effective as Holland, and that is going to be his downfall in this matchup. When Holland takes this fighting thing seriously, which he seems to be doing these days as a welterweight, he is a very good mixed martial artists. He is fast, clean and effective as a striker, and aggressive on the mat. The big question is how does Holland get it done. The thing is, decision, knockout or submission are all viable picks for this matchup. With Holland being a much more effective grappler than Rodriguez, I'm leaning Holland via submission. UFC 318 Fight Card: Dan Ige Vs. Patricio 'Pitbull' Freire NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - JULY 17: (L-R) Opponents Dan Ige and Patricio 'Pitbull' Freire of Brazil ... More face off during the UFC 318 press conference at Smoothie King Center on July 17, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Zuffa LLC) Zuffa LLC Dan Ige (19-9) earned a UFC contract during Season 3 of Dana White's Contender Series, which took place in 2017. Ige opened his UFC career with a decision loss to Julio Arce in early 2018. He put that loss behind him and went unbeaten in his next six outings. That stretch of victories secured him the No. 10 spot in the official UFC featherweight rankings, and a UFC Fight Night main event matchup against the No. 6 ranked Calvin Kattar in July 2020. Kattar won that scrap via unanimous decision. Since facing Kattar, Ige is 5-6 in the UFC. He has faced tough competition during that stretch and proven to be a game competitor. Ige raised his profile in 2024 when he agreed to meet Diego Lopes on the UFC 303 pay-per-view card on a few hour's notice. While Ige lost to Lopes in that fight, which served as the PPV co-main event, he took the rising Lopes the distance in an entertaining battle. Ige followed his loss to Lopes with a decision setback to Lerone Murphy at UFC 308. He is coming off a third-round knockout win over Sean Woodson at UFC 314. Forbes UFC Announces First Six Fights For July Abu Dhabi Fight Card By Trent Reinsmith Freire (36-7) spent the bulk of his career under the Bellator banner. He made his promotional debut on the Bellator 15 card in April 2010. Freire first fought for the Bellator featherweight belt in 2013, losing by decision to Pat Curran. He got his revenge on Curran in September 2014, winning the belt via decision. Freire defended his title twice before dropping a decision to Daniel Straus in November 2015. He regained the belt in 2017, submitting Straus via guillotine. Freire defended the title twice before adding the Bellator lightweight title to his trophy case. Freire's May 2019 TKO win over Michael Chandler earned him the Bellator 155-pound belt. Freire defended his featherweight crown three times as a two-division champ before losing a July 2021 submission to A.J. McKee. He never put the lightweight belt up for grabs, vacating the title in October 2021. The featherweight crown returned to Freire's mantle in April 2022 when he defeated McKee via decision. Freire defended the belt twice in his third stint as the 145-pound champ. His most recent fight was a March 2024 TKO win over Jeremy Kennedy in a title defense. Freire also dropped to bantamweight for a 2023 title shot against Sergio Pettis. Pettis won that contest via decision. In December, Freire told MMA Junkie he wanted to be done with Bellator, which the PFL purchased in November 2023. He signed with the UFC as a free agent in February 2025. Freire lost an uninspired unanimous decision to former interim UFC featherweight champion Yair Rodriguez at UFC 314. When the betting lines opened for this fight, Ige was the -185 betting favorite over the +150 Freire. The line has shifted in favor of Ige. Today, he is listed at -220, while Freire checks in at +180. Sixty-six percent of the bets have come in on Freire, while 89 percent of the money has been wagered on Ige. NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - JULY 18: Dan Ige poses on the scale during the UFC 318 official weigh-in at ... More the Royal Sonesta New Orleans on July 18, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC) Zuffa LLC The UFC matchmakers did a nice job assembling this matchup. The results will inform the fans the promotion, just what they can expect from an aging Freire. While the Rodriguez fight showed that Freire will not be a threat for a UFC title, this contest will let everyone know if Freire has what it takes, at this point in his career, to compete against ranked competition in the UFC's featherweight division. Ige is a tough and resilient fighter, who will get after it against Freire, and that aggression should be enough to carry Ige to a decision win against Freire, who did not show much against Rodriguez in his high-profile UFC debut. UFC 318 Fight Card: Michael Johnson Vs. Daniel Zellhuber NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - JULY 17: (L-R) Opponents Michael Johnson and Daniel Zellhuber of Mexico ... More face off during the UFC 318 press conference at Smoothie King Center on July 17, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Zuffa LLC) Zuffa LLC Michael Johnson (23-19) is one of the longer-tenured fighters on the UFC roster. The 39-year-old has been with the promotion since 2010 when he lost to Jonathan Brookins in the finals of season 12 of The Ultimate Fighter. Johnson has had an active, if up-and-down UFC career. While always game, he has a history of inconsistency. Johnson's longest winning streaks with the UFC are a four-fight run between 2013 and 2015 and a three-fight unbeaten stretch in 2012. Johnson went 0-4 between 2019 and 2021. He ended that run with a 2022 knockout win over Alan Patrick. Since then, Johnson is 3-2. He enters UFC 318 on a two-fight winning streak, beating Darrius Flowers and Ottman Azaitar. He has not fought since he knocked out Azaitar in December, winning a 'Performance of the Night' bonus in the process. Johnson is at the point in his career where the UFC is booking him as a gatekeeper against younger fighters or competitors who are relatively new to the promotion. Daniel Zellhuber (15-2) might be coming off a loss to Esteban Ribovics at UFC 306, but that fight was in the running for 'Fight of the Year' in 2024, and earned Zellhuber his third straight UFC Fight Night bonus. Zellhuber might have lost some momentum in that fight, but he did not lose much stock. He is looking for a bounce-back performance at UFC 318. Zellhuber moved his professional record to 12-0 in September 2021 when he defeated Lucas Almeida to earn a UFC contract on a Dana White's Contender Series card. UFC CEO Dana White praised both men for their performance that night, but offered the contract to Zellhuber, saying, "First of all, he's got an incredible chin, well-rounded game. He's only 22 years old, which usually I look for people who are a couple of years older, but he's 12-0 at 22 years old. You never see that. 'He said something about fighting like a real Mexican. This dude fights like a real Mexican. He's awesome. I love everything about him.' Zellhuber dropped his UFC debut, losing a decision to Trey Ogden by decision. He rebounded from that defeat with three straight wins before falling to Ribovics. When the betting lines opened for this fight, Zellhuber was a heavy -600 favorite over the +425 Johnson. Since then, Zellhuber has climbed to -650, while Johnson is the +475 betting underdog. With the odds being so lopsided, bettors are looking for the upset. Johnson has picked up 80 percent of the bets and 75 of the handle. NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - JULY 17: Daniel Zellhuber of Mexico is seen on stage during the UFC 318 ... More press conference at Smoothie King Center on July 17, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC) Zuffa LLC This should be a fun fight, as Johnson is a game opponent who won't back down from any challenge, but Zellhuber is better than him everywhere. This matchmaking seems designed to give Zellhuber the opportunity to rebound from his loss to Ribovics. The pick is Zellhuber to win via decision, but there is a chance for a knockout depending on how willing Johnson is to get into a slugfest with the younger harder-hitting fighter. *Odds via BetMGM UFC 318 Fight Card Prop Bets To Consider Holloway to beat Poirier by KO, TKO or DQ: +400 Poirier to beat Holloway by KO, TKO or DQ: +350 Poirier to beat Holloway via submission: +1200 Poirier vs. Holloway to end in decision: -150 Poirier vs. Holloway to go over 3.5 rounds: -240 Costa to beat Kopylov via KO, TKO or DQ: +550 Kopylov to beat Costa by decision: +110 Costa vs. Kopylov to complete two full rounds: -260 Rodriguez to beat Holland via decision: +950 Holland to beat Rodriguez by decision: +225 Holland vs. Rodriguez completes two full rounds: -120 Freire to beat Ige by decision: +270 Ige to beat Freire by decision: +120 Ige vs. Freire to complete two full rounds: -375 Zellhuber to beat Johnson via decision: +175 Johnson to beat Zellhuber via decision: +750 Johnson vs. Zellhuber to complete two full rounds: -145 *Odds via Bovada Saturday, July 19, 2025 UFC 318 Fight Card: Location Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, LA UFC 318 Fight Card: How to Watch Or Stream Main Card: ESPN+ PPV Preliminary Card: ESPN and ESPN+ Early Prelims: UFC Fight Pass and ESPN+ UFC 318 Fight Card: Fight Card Time Early Prelims: 6:15 p.m. ET Prelims: 8:00 p.m. ET Main Card: 10:00 p.m. ET We will have more on the UFC 318: Holloway vs. Poirier 3 fight card as the event nears. Also, look for live results, reactions, highlights and more for the UFC 318 pay-per-view card on fight night.
Forbes
3 days ago
- Sport
- Forbes
UFC 318 Fight Card: Date, Time, Location, How To Watch Or Stream
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 next pay-per-view card on the 2025 UFC schedule is nearly upon us. That event, UFC 318, takes place on Saturday, July 19, and is headlined by a trilogy fight that also serves as a BMF title fight, as well as the final walk of one fighter's career. In the fight card's main event contest, BMF champ Max Holloway faces Dustin Poirier for the third time in what is Poirier's retirement fight. Poirier heads into the lightweight matchup atop the UFC 318 PPV with a 2-0 record against Holloway. UFC 318 Fight Card: Date Saturday, July 19, 2025 UFC 318 Fight Card: Location Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, LA UFC 318 Fight Card: How to Watch Or Stream Main Card: ESPN+ PPV Preliminary Card: ESPN and ESPN+ Early Prelims: UFC Fight Pass and ESPN+ UFC 318 Fight Card: Fight Card Time Early Prelims: 6:15 p.m. ET Prelims: 8:00 p.m. ET Main Card: 10:00 p.m. ET UFC 318 Main Event: Max Holloway Vs. Dustin Poirier 3 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) 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. 6 ranked UFC lightweight. ATLANTA, GA - APRIL 13: (L-R) Dustin Poirier and Max Holloway meet in the middle of the Octagon in ... More 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) 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 was recently removed from the UFC featherweight rankings per his request. He is ranked at No. 5 at 155 pounds and sits at No. 11 in the pound-for-pound rankings. UFC 318 Co-Main Event: Paulo Costa Vs. Roman Kopylov SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - AUGUST 20: Paulo Costa of Brazil looks on in a middleweight bout against Luke ... More Rockhold of the United States during UFC 278 at Vivint Arena on August 20, 2022 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by) Paulo Costa (14-4) was 8-0 and coming off a defense of the Jungle Fight middleweight title when he joined the UFC in 2017. He opened his run with the promotion with four knockouts and one decision. That decision, an August 2019 win over Yoel Romero, earned Costa a shot at Adesanya in September 2020. Adesanya retained his title in that fight, knocking out Costa in the second round. Costa has not been an active competitor in the UFC. Between 2018 and 2022 he stepped into the Octagon once per year. He did not compete at all in 2023. In 2024, Costa went 0-2, losing a unanimous decision to former UFC middleweight champ Robert Whittaker in February and then dropping a split decision to ex-UFC 185 kingpin Sean Strickland in June. Costa has not competed since his loss to Strickland at UFC 302. Costa is 1-4 in his past five UFC outings. His only win during that stretch, which began with the Adesanya loss, was a August 2022 decision win over former UFC middleweight titleholder Luke Rockhold. NEWARK, NEW JERSEY - JUNE 01: Roman Kopylov of Russia prepares to face Cesar Almeida of Brazil in a ... More middleweight fight during the UFC 302 event at Prudential Center on June 01, 2024 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images) A former Fight Nights Global middleweight champ, Roman Kopylov (14-3) joined the UFC in 2019 with an 8-0 record. Kopylov had seven straight knockout wins heading into his UFC debut, a fight he lost to Karl Roberson via submission. COVID-19 and visa issues kept Kopylov out of action until October 2021. When he returned to the Octagon, Kopylov dropped a decision to Albert Duraev. Kopylov seemed to find his footing after those back-to-back losses. Between September 2022 and September 2023, he went 4-0 with four knockout wins. That winning streak did not earn Kopylov a spot inside the top 15 of the UFC's middleweight division, but it did get him booked opposite the No. 15 ranked Anthony Hernandez at UFC 298 in February. Hernandez won that fight via second-round submission. Kopylov came back from that defeat to beat César Almeida at UFC 302. In his most recent outing, Kopylov stopped Chris Curtis via head kick, in a 'Fight of the Night' affair on A UFC Fight Night card in January 2025. UFC 318 Fight Card: Kevin Holland Vs. Daniel Rodriguez NEWARK, NEW JERSEY - JUNE 07: Kevin Holland of the United States reacts after defeating Vicente ... More Luque of Brazil in the welterweight bout during UFC 316 at the Prudential Center on June 07, 2025 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo) Kevin Holland (28-13-0-1) was 12-3 when he earned his shot at a UFC contract on a Dana White's Contender Series card in June 2018. Despite getting a win, UFC CEO Dana White did not offer Holland a contract. However, Holland got the chance to fight for the UFC in August 2018 when Thiago Santos needed a short-notice opponent. Holland has been one of the more active UFC competitors since losing that contest by decision, fighting at middleweight and welterweight. Holland followed the loss to Santos with an 8-1 run, a stretch that included five victories between May 2020 and December 2020. His last win of that run was a 'Performance of the Night' bonus-winning knockout of ex-Strikeforce champion Ronaldo 'Jacare' Souza. Holland's career has been up-and-down since the highlight-reel win over Souza. He has a 7-8-0-1 record since then, never winning, or losing, more than two fights in a row. Holland is 2-2 in his past four outings, losing back-to-back fights to Roman Dolidze and Reinier de Ridder via stoppage before putting together a two-fight winning streak with victories over Gunnar Nelson and most recently, Vicente Luque. The 32-year Holland's two recent losses were at middleweight, his wins, both of which earned him a 'Performance of the Night' bonus, came at welterweight, where he is the No. 13 ranked fighter. DES MOINES, IOWA - MAY 03: Daniel Rodriguez reacts after his TKO victory over Santiago Ponzinibbio ... More of Argentina in their welterweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at Wells Fargo Arena on May 03, 2025 in Des Moines, Iowa. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC) Daniel Rodriguez (19-5) began his UFC career on a great run. Debuting with the promotion in 2020 with a 'Performance of the Night' bonus-winning submission win over veteran competitor Tim Means, Rodriguez went 8-1 in his first nine fights with the promotion. His only loss during that stretch was a decision setback to Nicolas Dalby in Rodriguez's fourth UFC fight of 2020. A September 2022 split decision win over Li Jingliang at UFC 279 put him in the co-main event of a UFC Fight Night card opposite veteran gatekeeper Neil Magny. At the time of that scrap, Magny was the No. 13 fighter in the UFC's welterweight division, while Rodriguez was No. 14. Magny turned back Rodriguez, submitting him in the third round. Rodriguez followed that setback with a TKO loss to Ian Machado Garry and a decision defeat to Kelvin Gastelum in a fight that was contested at middleweight after Gastelum had weight cutting issues. Rodriguez has bounced back from that three-fight losing skid with a decision win over Alex Morono in October 2024 and a TKO victory over Santiago Ponzinibbio in May. A win over Holland would likely put the 38-year-old Rodriguez back in the UFC rankings. UFC 318 Fight Card: Dan Ige Vs. Patricio 'Pitbull' Freire MIAMI, FLORIDA - APRIL 12: Dan Ige of the United States reacts after defeating Sean Woodson of the ... More United States during UFC 314 at Kaseya Center on April 12, 2025 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by) Dan Ige (19-9) earned a UFC contract during Season 3 of Dana White's Contender Series, which took place in 2017. Ige opened his UFC career with a decision loss to Julio Arce in early 2018. He put that loss behind him and went unbeaten in his next six outings. That stretch of victories secured him the No. 10 spot in the official UFC featherweight rankings, and a UFC Fight Night main event matchup against the No. 6 ranked Calvin Kattar in July 2020. Kattar won that scrap via unanimous decision. Since facing Kattar, Ige is 5-6 in the UFC. He has faced tough competition during that stretch and proven to be a game competitor. Ige raised his profile in 2024 when he agreed to meet Diego Lopes on the UFC 303 pay-per-view card on a few hour's notice. While Ige lost to Lopes in that fight, which served as the PPV co-main event, he took the rising Lopes the distance in an entertaining battle. Ige followed his loss to Lopes with a decision setback to Lerone Murphy at UFC 308. He is coming off a third-round knockout win over Sean Woodson at UFC 314. MIAMI, FLORIDA - APRIL 12: Patricio 'Pitbull' Freire of Brazil battles Yair Rodriguez of Mexico in a ... More featherweight bout during the UFC 314 event at Kaseya Center on April 12, 2025 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC) Freire (36-7) spent the bulk of his career under the Bellator banner. He made his promotional debut on the Bellator 15 card in April 2010. Freire first fought for the Bellator featherweight belt in 2013, losing by decision to Pat Curran. He got his revenge on Curran in September 2014, winning the belt via decision. Freire defended his title twice before dropping a decision to Daniel Straus in November 2015. He regained the belt in 2017, submitting Straus via guillotine. Freire defended the title twice before adding the Bellator lightweight title to his trophy case. Freire's May 2019 TKO win over Michael Chandler earned him the Bellator 155-pound belt. Freire defended his featherweight crown three times as a two-division champ before losing a July 2021 submission to A.J. McKee. He never put the lightweight belt up for grabs, vacating the title in October 2021. The featherweight crown returned to Freire's mantle in April 2022 when he defeated McKee via decision. Freire defended the belt twice in his third stint as the 145-pound champ. His most recent fight was a March 2024 TKO win over Jeremy Kennedy in a title defense. Freire also dropped to bantamweight for a 2023 title shot against Sergio Pettis. Pettis won that contest via decision. In December, Freire told MMA Junkie he wanted to be done with Bellator, which the PFL purchased in November 2023. He signed with the UFC as a free agent in February 2025. Freire lost an uninspired unanimous decision to former interim UFC featherweight champion Yair Rodriguez at UFC 314. UFC 318 Fight Card: Michael Johnson Vs. Daniel Zellhuber TAMPA, FLORIDA - DECEMBER 14: Michael Johnson reacts after a knockout victory against Ottman Azaitar ... More of Morocco in a lightweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at Amalie Arena on December 14, 2024 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC) Michael Johnson (23-19) is one of the longer-tenured fighters on the UFC roster. The 39-year-old has been with the promotion since 2010 when he lost to Jonathan Brookins in the finals of season 12 of The Ultimate Fighter. Johnson has had an active, if up-and-down UFC career. While always game, he has a history of inconsistency. Johnson's longest winning streaks with the UFC are a four-fight run between 2013 and 2015 and a three-fight unbeaten stretch in 2012. Johnson went 0-4 between 2019 and 2021. He ended that run with a 2022 knockout win over Alan Patrick. Since then, Johnson is 3-2. He enters UFC 318 on a two-fight winning streak, beating Darrius Flowers and Ottman Azaitar. He has not fought since he knocked out Azaitar in December, winning a 'Performance of the Night' bonus in the process. Johnson is at the point in his career where the UFC is booking him as a gatekeeper against younger fighters or competitors who are relatively new to the promotion. LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - SEPTEMBER 13: Daniel Zellhuber of Mexico poses on the scale during the UFC 306 ... More at Riyadh Season Noche UFC Ceremonial Weigh-in at Sphere on September 13, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC) Daniel Zellhuber (15-2) might be coming off a loss to Esteban Ribovics at UFC 306, but that fight was in the running for 'Fight of the Year' in 2024, and earned Zellhuber his third straight UFC Fight Night bonus. Zellhuber might have lost some momentum in that fight, but he did not lose much stock. He is looking for a bounce-back performance at UFC 318. Zellhuber moved his professional record to 12-0 in September 2021 when he defeated Lucas Almeida to earn a UFC contract on a Dana White's Contender Series card. UFC CEO Dana White praised both men for their performance that night, but offered the contract to Zellhuber, saying, "First of all, he's got an incredible chin, well-rounded game. He's only 22 years old, which usually I look for people who are a couple of years older, but he's 12-0 at 22 years old. You never see that. 'He said something about fighting like a real Mexican. This dude fights like a real Mexican. He's awesome. I love everything about him.' Zellhuber dropped his UFC debut, losing a decision to Trey Ogden by decision. He rebounded from that defeat with three straight wins before falling to Ribovics. We will have more on the UFC 318 fight card, including results, reactions and highlights on fight night.
Forbes
3 days ago
- Sport
- Forbes
UFC 318 Main Event Odds, Picks And Predictions: Holloway Vs. Poirier 3
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) On Saturday, July 19, Max Holloway and Dustin Poirier meet for the third time in their long and illustrious MMA careers. The Holloway vs. Poirier 3 lightweight matchup serves as the main event of the UFC 318 pay-per-view fight card. At stake is Holloway's ceremonial BMF title. The much-anticipated scrap is also the last time Poirier will compete inside the UFC Octagon, as the former interim lightweight champion has announced he will retire following his trilogy fight with Holloway. UFC 318 takes place on Saturday, July 19, at Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. The UFC 318 main card streams on ESPN+ pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and early prelims on ESPN+. UFC 318 Main Event Preview: Max Holloway Vs. Dustin Poirier 3 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) 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. 6 ranked UFC lightweight. ATLANTA, GA - APRIL 13: (L-R) Dustin Poirier and Max Holloway meet in the middle of the Octagon in ... More 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) 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 was recently removed from the UFC featherweight rankings per his request. He is ranked at No. 5 at 155 pounds and sits at No. 11 in the pound-for-pound rankings. UFC 318 Main Event Betting Lines And Movement: Max Holloway Vs. Dustin Poirier 3 When the betting lines opened for this fight, Poirier was the -150 betting favorite over the +130 Holloway. The line has shifted in a major way. Today, Holloway is listed at -138, while Poirier checks in at +118. UFC 318 Main Event Tale Of The Tape: Max Holloway Vs. Dustin Poirier 3 Age: 33 Height: 5'11' Reach: 69' Stance: Orthodox Age: 36 Height: 5'9' Reach: 72' Stance: Southpaw UFC 318: Holloway Vs. Poirier Previous Meetings LAS VEGAS, NV - FEBRUARY 04: (L-R) Dustin Poirier attempts an arm bar submission against Max ... More Holloway during the UFC 143 event at Mandalay Bay Events Center on February 4, 2012 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Nick Laham/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 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. UFC 318 Main Event Predictions And Picks: Max Holloway Vs. Dustin Poirier 3 LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - APRIL 13: Max Holloway reacts to the knockout of Justin Gaethje in the BMF ... More championship fight during the UFC 300 event at T-Mobile Arena on April 13, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images) One thing you need to do is forget about the first two fights between these two. The first matchup was Holloway's UFC debut. The second was Holloway moving up to lightweight for the first time under the UFC banner. Today, nearly nine years after that second fight, Holloway has developed into one of the best fighters in the UFC, a relentless pressure fighter who never stops moving, but who is also better at every facet of his striking game, which is where he excels. That's not to say Poirier isn't better as well, but his progress is more incremental when compared to Holloway's. Expect an active and exciting fight on Saturday night. Poirier is the better all-around fighter, but Holloway is the better striker. Poirier is under a lot of pressure in this matchup, and that could be a negative. He's fighting at home. The UFC has said this card has been built for him. He's retiring. If he can put all of that behind him and fight to his strengths, he has a good chance to win. However, if he looks to entertain and put his skills on the back burner, Holloway is likely to win because of his output and activity on the feet. The pick is Holloway to win via decision, but a Poirier pick is not out of line. Also, look for the fight to go the distance. We will have more on the UFC 318 co-main event, Costa vs. Kopylov, as fight night nears, as well as live results, reactions, highlights and more for the UFC 318 pay-per-view card on fight night
Forbes
3 days ago
- Sport
- Forbes
UFC 318 Co-Main Event Odds, Picks And Predictions: Costa Vs. Kopylov
NEWARK, NEW JERSEY - MAY 31: Paulo Costa of Brazil poses on the scale during the UFC 302 official ... More weigh-in at the Westin Jersey City Newport on May 31, 2024 in Jersey City, New Jersey. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images) A middleweight matchup between one fighter looking to end a two-fight losing skid and another competitor hoping to extend a two-fight winning streak serves as the co-main event of Saturday's UFC 318 pay-per-view fight card. In that contest, the No. 13-ranked Paulo Costa meets the No. 14-ranked Roman Kopylov. We preview Costa vs. Kopylov, the penultimate bout on the UFC 318 PPV fight card. UFC 318 features a trilogy bout in the main event, as Max Holloway and Dustin Poirier meet in the PPV headliner. Holloway's symbolic BMF title is on the line. Meanwhile, the fight is expected to be Poirier's retirement bout. UFC 318 takes place on Saturday, July 19, at Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. The UFC 318 main card streams on ESPN+ pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and early prelims on ESPN+. UFC 318 Co-Main Event Preview: Costa Vs. Kopylov NEWARK, NEW JERSEY - JUNE 01: Paulo Costa of Brazil prepares to face Sean Strickland in a ... More middleweight fight during the UFC 302 event at Prudential Center on June 01, 2024 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images) Paulo Costa (14-4) was 8-0 and coming off a defense of the Jungle Fight middleweight title when he joined the UFC in 2017. He opened his run with the promotion with four knockouts and one decision. That decision, an August 2019 win over Yoel Romero, earned Costa a shot at Adesanya in September 2020. Adesanya retained his title in that fight, knocking out Costa in the second round. Costa has not been an active competitor in the UFC. Between 2018 and 2022 he stepped into the Octagon once per year. He did not compete at all in 2023. In 2024, Costa went 0-2, losing a unanimous decision to former UFC middleweight champ Robert Whittaker in February and then dropping a split decision to ex-UFC 185 kingpin Sean Strickland in June. Costa has not competed since his loss to Strickland at UFC 302. Costa is 1-4 in his past five UFC outings. His only win during that stretch, which began with the Adesanya loss, was a August 2022 decision win over former UFC middleweight titleholder Luke Rockhold. LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JANUARY 11: Roman Kopylov of Russia reacts after a TKO victory against Chris ... More Curtis in a middleweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on January 11, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images) A former Fight Nights Global middleweight champ, Roman Kopylov (14-3) joined the UFC in 2019 with an 8-0 record. Kopylov had seven straight knockout wins heading into his UFC debut, a fight he lost to Karl Roberson via submission. COVID-19 and visa issues kept Kopylov out of action until October 2021. When he returned to the Octagon, Kopylov dropped a decision to Albert Duraev. Kopylov seemed to find his footing after those back-to-back losses. Between September 2022 and September 2023, he went 4-0 with four knockout wins. That winning streak did not earn Kopylov a spot inside the top 15 of the UFC's middleweight division, but it did get him booked opposite the No. 15 ranked Anthony Hernandez at UFC 298 in February. Hernandez won that fight via second-round submission. Kopylov came back from that defeat to beat César Almeida at UFC 302. In his most recent outing, Kopylov stopped Chris Curtis via head kick, in a 'Fight of the Night' affair on A UFC Fight Night card in January 2025. UFC 318 Co-Main Event Betting Lines And Movement: Costa Vs. Kopylov When the betting lines opened for this fight, Kopylov was the -300 betting favorite over the +250 Costa. The line has shifted. Today, Kopylov is listed at -224, while Costa checks in at +189. UFC 318 Co-Main Event Tale Of The Tape: Costa Vs. Kopylov Age: 34 Height: 6'1' Reach: 82' Stance: Orthodox Age: 34 Height: 6'0' Reach: 75' Stance: Southpaw UFC 318 Co-Main Event Predictions And Picks: Costa Vs. Kopylov Paulo Costa is a well-rounded fighter. However, he doesn't often use his complete skill set. Instead, he looks to engage in striking wars, landing an average of 6.22 significant strikes per minute, while absorbing 6.56 strikes per minute, which is not a great sign against a kickboxer like Kopylov. If Costa looks to get the fight to the mat, he has a chance to pick up the win on Saturday, but he has not earned a takedown since he defeated Yoel Romero by decision in 2019. Costa is a resilient fighter, so it's likely this one goes the distance, but look for the better striker, which is Kopylov, to win the decision. UFC 318 Pay-Per-View Card: Holloway Vs. Poirier 3 Max Holloway vs. Dustin Poirier - Lightweight - For Holloway's BMF title Paulo Costa vs. Roman Kopylov - Middleweight Kevin Holland vs. Daniel Rodriguez - Welterweight Dan Ige vs. Patricio 'Pitbull' Freire - Featherweight Michael Johnson vs. Daniel Zellhuber - Lightweight UFC 318 Preliminary Fight Card: Holloway Vs. Poirier 3 Kyler Phillips vs. Vinicius Oliveira - Bantamweight Marvin Vettori vs. Brendan Allen - Middleweight Francisco Prado vs. Nikolay Veretennikov - Welterweight Ateba Gautier vs. Robert Valentin - Middleweight UFC 318 Early Prelims Fight Card: Holloway Vs. Poirier 3 Adam Fugitt vs. Islam Dulatov - Welterweight Jimmy Crute vs. Marcin Prachnio - Light Heavyweight Ryan Spann vs. Lukasz Brzeski - Heavyweight Brunno Ferreira vs. Jackson McVey - Middleweight Carli Judice vs. Nicolle Caliari - Women's Flyweight We will have more on the UFC 318 co-main event, Costa vs. Kopylov, as fight night nears, as well as live results, reactions, highlights and more for the UFC 318 pay-per-view card on fight night.
Irish Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Daily Mirror
'Creepy' Conor McGregor behaviour puzzles fans as he posts strange message
Conor McGregor has been labelled "creepy" and accused of behaving like two well documented recent scandals "never happened". Images of McGregor appearing to show him kissing a mystery woman on a beach in Florida, emerged this week. The photographs appear to show McGregor wearing nothing but luminous green swimming shorts embracing a dark-haired bikini clad woman while sitting on a sun lounger. A few hours after the images of McGregor on the beach with the woman emerged, news broke that the 37 year-old former UFC fighter had allegedly sent unsolicited completely nude photographs of himself to American rapper, Azealia Banks. Banks, 34, claims father of four, McGregor, sent her the two images via her X (formerly Twitter) account. Banks, who does not follow McGregor on the social media app then took screenshots of the images and shared them with her 260k followers on X. Surprisingly, a few hours later, Banks, posted on X saying she and McGregor have been sending each other unsolicited nudes since 2016. Since news of the scandals broke, McGregor, who is engaged to long-term partner, Dee Devlin, has been active on social media where some former fans labelled him "creepy" and accused him of behaving like nothing had happened. Conor McGregor has not fought for almost five years (Image: Zuffa LLC) Conor McGregor with his fiancee Dee Devlin (Image: Getty Images) In the wake of the scandals, Crumlin native McGregor posted several videos and family photos from his yacht in Sardinia on X (formerly Twitter). He has also failed to address the images that appeared to show him kissing a mystery woman on a beach in Florida. McGregor has also not denied that he sent the nude photographs of himself to American rapper, Azealia Banks. McGregor, who continues to insist he intends to run in the up-and-coming Irish presidential election later this year, also shared a screenshot of an Irish Times story concerning fellow Aras hopeful, Mairead McGuinness. "My brother in Christ, you were just seen cheating on Dee, again. Then being the super creepy pig by sending unsolicited photos of your c***, then proceeded to threaten your victim. Take a f'ing seat," responded one man called Ally. Another man said: "Mate your sending pictures of your Johnson to random people. Give it up with this presidential crap." A third person added: "Conor this is bizarre - why are you behaving like this never happened? It's no wonder most of Ireland can't stand you." However, the reaction wasn't entirely negative. One man tweeted his support of McGregor's bid to become the next President of Ireland. "Mate, u should be the next president of Ireland and put order there. Enough is enough." Last November, a High Court civil jury found McGregor civilly liable for assaulting Nikita Hand. He faced allegations of "brutally raping and battering" Ms Hand at a hotel in south Dublin back in November 2018. McGregor maintained that their sexual interactions at the Beacon Hotel were consensual. The jury sided with her, with €248,603.60 in damages awarded. McGregor has mounted an appeal against the ruling that got underway earlier this month. McGregor has now been absent from the UFC for over four years. His last fight, a second successive defeat to Dustin Poirier in July 2021, saw him break his leg. Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news from the Irish Mirror direct to your inbox: Sign up here.
