Dustin Poirier outlines brutal expectation for Max Holloway clash at UFC 318: "We're going to be crash test dummies in there"

Dustin Poirier knows what he signed up for when he agreed to face Max Holloway for the third time at UFC 318. The veteran lightweight has no plans to turn this into a careful points battle.

He made it clear that when the cage door closes, both men will meet head-on and leave caution behind. Poirier has built his name on being willing to trade shots when the moment calls for it, and Holloway is cut from the same cloth.

Previwing the clash at the UFC 318 press conference, Poirier said:

"I just have a natural ability to get myself in those kind of fights every time. I'm not trying to jab and circle and win rounds. I'm trying to scrap and finish these guys and Max isn't afraid of the fire. We've shown that before we watched his career. We watched him become champion. We watched him put down the legends of the sport."

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He added:

"So you have two guys like that. It's going to be a head on collision. You know, we're going to be crash test dummies in there, baby."

Check out Max Holloway's comments below:

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Poirier submitted Holloway in their first meeting and won a unanimous decision in the rematch. Their third fight is also Poirier’s final walk and Holloway’s chance to test himself back at lightweight after a tough loss against Ilia Topuria at featherweight.

Alexander Volkanovski picks Max Holloway to beat Dustin Poirier at UFC 318

Alexander Volkanovski believes Max Holloway can turn the tables in his trilogy fight with Dustin Poirier at UFC 318. Despite losing twice to Poirier and coming off a knockout loss to Ilia Topuria, Volkanovski thinks Holloway has the mindset to rebound stronger than before.

Holloway returns to lightweight and defends the BMF belt in New Orleans this Saturday. Several analysts have raised questions about his chin, but Volkanovski trusts Holloway’s ability to adapt and fight smart.

Previewing the clash on the UFC 318 show for Fox Sports Australia, Volkanovski said:

"I'm going to go with Max. Obviously he's coming off a KO loss, which is something that's going to be a big factor. Not many people can bounce back from a KO loss. There's very few that can, and I think Max is definitely one of them. I think you're maybe going to see the same Max or an even more improved Max now that he's going to even be that little bit more calculated, because you know he can." [H/t: MMA Junkie]

About the author

Abhishek Ramadasan Nambiar is a journalist who covers MMA at Sportskeeda. As a long-time practitioner of various martial arts, seeing the fusion of different forms into a quest for the ultimate fighter felt both primal and profoundly technical. At Sportskeeda, Abhishek's primary goal is to offer a fresh and distinctive angle through his writing, aiming to provide readers with more than just the basics of MMA. Along with keeping them informed about the latest developments in the sport, he strives to offer valuable insights that enhance their understanding of MMA.

When not writing about MMA, Abhishek often spends time reviewing music or devouring Brian Evanson's and Blake Crouch's work. Sign up to receive news, regular updates, and exclusive coverage.

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Edited by Abhishek Nambiar