Former UFC Middleweight Champion Israel Adesanya would not be surprised to see a knockout in the UFC 318 Main Event.
BMF title holder Max Holloway will serve as the last UFC opponent of Dustin Poirier while arranging their trilogy at the UFC 318 event this weekend. Poirier's itself is described 'last ride' after a legendary career with victories over a whole series of MMA legends.
UFC 318 will also mark the return from Holloway to the lightweight division after a knock-out loss for Ilia Topuria on UFC 308. He chose to make the full-time switch to lightweight after the fight, which means that many intriguing matchups for him in the division.
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Israël Adesanya sides with Max Holloway on UFC 318, may predict KO
In the most recent lightweight appearance of Holloway, he earned one of the most shocking knockouts in the history of UFC when he slept Justin Gaethje on the buzzer at UFC 300 last year. But the last time he encountered with Poirier, Holloway struggled to go to the size of Ufier and the boxing.
Former UFC Middleweight Champion Israel Adesanya knows a few things about how to approach Rematches, while Holloway seems to send Poirier with a loss in the sunset. Although Poirier has risen 2-0 in their series, Adesanya believes that Holloway could still earn a highlight-reel ko in their trilogy.
In a recent breakdown on his YouTube channel, Adesanya shared his prediction for the UFC 318 headliner.
“Dustin tends that when he gets tired, he returns to his old habits, which is a flat foot,” said Adesanya about Holloway vs. Poirier.
“He sometimes throws without putting things on, sometimes. But he changed that. But again, when he gets tired, Max doesn't get really tired. Dustin could pronounce him in that second fight when they fought for the belt, Dustin hurt Max … First time I saw Max fluctuating.
“But Max tries to spoil the party with the blessed Express. I am going with Max in this fight,” Adesanya continued. “I think Max will be more defensive healthy, he will not get a gun shy. But he will now be smarter with the weight, because Max has taken a lot of photos and only holds the chin for as long. Lightweight Max, I still think that Dustin Poirier can be eliminated, and this time can be different.”
Poirier chose to make UFC 318 his pension fight after a loss for Islam Makhachev on UFC 302 last year. Despite speculation, he could change his mind after retirement after UFC 318, Poirier seems to have to end this storybook.
Max Holloway's former rival chose him to beat Dustin Poirier on UFC 318
One of the former rivals of Holloway, Alexander Volkanovski, chose him to win the trilogy on UFC 318. Volkanovski and Holloway fought three times in their UFC career with Volkanovski who won all three fights.
After dropping the Volkanovski trilogy, Holloway wants to take revenge this weekend on Poirier and make a strong thing for a lightweight title shot. A victory may be able to set up Holloway for a rematch with Topuria, after the vacant title win of the latter last month on UFC 317.
We are hours removed from finding out if Holloway takes revenge on Poirier, or whether Poirier will end his historical career on one of the highest notes.