Dustin Poirier outlines expectations for Max Holloway retirement fight at UFC 318, wants "a Fight of the Night type of fight"

Dustin Poirier expressed the desire to make his final competitive MMA appearance a fierce and memorable battle. Poirier, 36, will face Max Holloway in the main event of UFC 318, scheduled for July 18. This fight will mark the end of their trilogy, with Poirier currently leading the rivalry 2-0 from their previous encounters.

During the 'UFC 318 Countdown' documentary, Poirier stated that he wants his last fight to be truly unforgettable:

“Every tear, every drop of blood, every drop of sweat was worth it. If I could go back to when I was 17 years old, I would do it again. I want this to be the best fight; it’s my last one. I’m trying to be in the moment and make the most out of the last ride. I want a war, like this is going to be a Fight of the Night type of fight. At UFC 318, New Orleans, Louisiana, I will beat Max Holloway and be the BMF champion.”

Check out Dustin Poirier's comments below (45:42):

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MMA explains what could be different in Max Holloway vs. Dustin Poirier 3

Although Dustin Poirier has won both of his previous fights against Max Holloway, their second encounter at UFC 236 was a tough battle for both men. Poirier scored a decisive unanimous decision victory to claim the interim lightweight title, but Holloway had his moments in that fight.

It is worth noting that Holloway was the reigning featherweight champion at the time, and the bout against Poirier was a one-off fight at lightweight.

During his recent appearance on Submission Radio, discussing Holloway vs. Poirier 3, veteran MMA journalist Luke Thomas shared his insights on the key differences in Holloway's preparation and suitability for competing at lightweight:

"If you look at [Holloway's] body [at UFC 236]... I talked to Max's ex-manager... For the second Poirier fight, all they did was, 'Hey, we're just going to cut less weight and we'll eat a little bit more.' They didn't have a very scientific process for bulking up and getting to the appropriate mass to compete at that weight class."

He added:

"You can physically see he doesn't have abs in that fight. He just doesn't look quite right. Also, if you look at his skill set that Max has now, it's vastly more advanced."

Thomas concluded that Holloway followed a more meticulous process for moving up to lightweight before his UFC 300 fight against Justin Gathje. He believes this improved preparation could better equip Holloway to compete against Poirier in the trilogy fight.

Check out Luke Thomas' comments below (5:42):

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Edited by Rajneesh Suhas Reddy