UFC legend Dustin Poirier experienced a career first in the final chapter of his MMA career at UFC 318.
The last UFC hurray from Dustin Poirier fell short of the scorecards of the jury members against Max Holloway on UFC 318. But despite the loss in his last fight, Poirier was celebrated by many around the sport to do another characteristic version in the octagon.
The competitive fire in the heart of Poirier remained when he left the Octagon while fans rushed to get a glimpse of the departing legend. Poirier repeatedly doubted in the score cards of the jury members in conversations with fans and supporters, in the conviction that he did enough to win the fight.
Photo by Cooper Neill/Zuffa LLC
Dustin Poirier says that for the first time he had feelings of 'self-preservation' in the MMA career on UFC 318
After thinking about his performance and looking again, Poirier has a new perspective on what went wrong in his last fight on UFC 318. During his fight with Holloway, Poirier had a sense of preservation that he had never experienced in his career.
In a recent interview on the Bohnfire -Podcast, Poirier thought about what went wrong in his last fight on UFC 318.
“By going the fight, immediately my thoughts about what just happened, I thought I was doing enough,” said Poirier. “But I went back and looked at it. What you feel and goes through it, and what you see from an outdoor sight is two different things. I saw him win rounds, throw more volume, throwing body shots, pulling away in rounds.
“What I saw was different from what I felt. I just wanted another fight, and he gave it to me. In it I felt between the rounds that I spoke with my boxing coach, and I could have taken more opportunities,” Poirier admitted. “But I tried to protect myself at the same time, and I have never really fought so much. I would always endanger myself to land the big shots, and this one I did not do, and maybe that is a sign that the decision I made was the right one.
“Self -preservation, come safely with my family, things like that.”
A former UFC champion believes that Holloway Poirier could have completed early, but 'pulled' punches back during a hectic exchange. Aljamain Sterling believes that Holloway has left a lot on the table in his fight with Poirier, despite the fact that they have a decision victory.
The loss of Poirier at UFC 318 was a scoop in his MMA career in more than one way. For the first time, Poirier lost back-to-back fighting, after having a lightweight title fight on Islam Makhachev on UFC 302 last year.
In the meantime, Holloway is aimed at declining with a former featherweight enemy in its next BMF title defense after UFC 318, and there is some poor blood brewing.
Max Holloway accused potential next opponent of faking an injury in 2015 fight
In interviews after the fight after UFC 318, Holloway accused former UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira of the fake an injury in their 2015 featherweight confrontation on UFC Saskatoon. After Oliveira was asked for a potential rematch with Holloway, he revealed how the esophageal injury he sustained in their first fight left unfinished things with the BMF title holder.
At the moment, Oliveira did not respond to Holloway's comments. Oliveira wants to return towards the end of the year after an empty lightweight title loss for Ilia Topuria last month on UFC 317.
Holloway put one of the few times of his UFC career on the 'Hiel' hat in response to the recent comments from Oliveira. While Holloway looks ahead to what the next step is, the Rematch of Oliveira seems like a feasible option for both stars.