Dustin Poirier has finally set up his last dance in the UFC.
The former interim light weight champion has been talking about MMA's retirement for several years now, which makes a decision that Fight #41 will be his last.
Poirier's pension ceremony followed on his third failed title challenge for Islam Makhachev, a hard -fought submission loss on UFC 302 last summer.
Considered as one of the fanfore positions of the UFC for his remembering fighting style and grit, Lafayette's Poirier asked the promotion for a 'only' home game in Louisiana for his last walk to the Octagon.
After many months patiently, Poirier finally granted his wish.
Photo by Logan Riely/Getty images
Dustin Poirier vs Max Holloway Trilogy booked for UFC 318 in New Orleans
More than a year away from his title fight with Makhachev, Poirier is officially set to return to an old rival, former UFC Vederweight champion Max Holloway in Lightweight.
However, it is no ordinary lightweight fight with the BMF title of Holloway on the line in the main event of UFC 318 on July 19.
UFC 318 has been rid of the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana, the first visit of the UFC to New Orleans since 2015.
Poirier and Holloway have fought twice before with Poirier who won both fights. 'The Diamond' spoiled a 20-year-old Holloway's UFC debut back on UFC 143 in 2012, where the Hawaiian was submitted with a triangular arm bar.
Holloway performed a much better fight when he was a featherweight champion and took on the lightweight Poirier in a short-note rematch on UFC 236 in 2019. Poirier has largely exceeded Holloway over five rounds, his opponent bleeding to win the interim title through a unanimous decision.
Holloway's 1-3 in his last four fights, the most recently a title fight of featherweight lost to Ilia Topuria on UFC 308 in October, where Holloway was first eliminated in his 34-Vecht career.
As far as Poirier is concerned, the UFC veteran has exchanged profit and losses with the best in the world in recent years, with his last victory a KO by Benoit Saint-Denis at UFC 299 in March 2024.
Dustin Poirier asked Justin Gaethje and Ilia Topuria, but the UFC said no
Before signing the dotted line on UFC 318, Poirier says that he spoke with the UFC buyer about other opponents for his pension fight, one of which was his violent lightweight counterpart Justin Gaethje.
'I asked Hunter [Campbell] For Gaethje, “Poirier told MMA Junkie about his conversation with the UFC Chief Business Officer.
“Because we are 1-1, I wanted to close that trilogy,” Poirier continued.
“For some reason they really wanted this fight. That's cool because I respect [Max] For my last fight. “
Gaethje and Poirier are a knockout each, Poirier won their first fight in 2018 by Ko before Gaethje Poirier pulled out with a headkick in their Rematch for the BMF title in 2023.
Apparently Justin Gaethje was not the only name on the Poirier wish list.
The 36-year-old added in his conversation with MMA Junkie: “When [Ilia Topuria] said he went to 155, I sent the UFC and said, “Hey, let me know what's going on with this guy.” But they never entertained it, they told me it doesn't happen and they wanted Max. “
Earlier this year Ilia Topuria waived his featherweight title for a switch to lightweight, and insisted that he would only fight for the title and no one else. That seems to be the case, because Topuria has started the training camp for what many can be believed, his next opponent lightweight champion Islam Makhachev.