Max Holloway: Dustin Poirier reveals his gameplan to defeat Max Holloway at UFC 318: "Beat him to the punch"

Dustin Poirier knows exactly what he needs to do in his final walk to the octagon. The veteran lightweight returns for one last fight at UFC 318, a retirement bout in New Orleans against Max Holloway for the BMF title.

It is a storybook setting, but the fight itself offers no room for sentiment. Poirier has beaten Holloway twice, but this version of Holloway is coming off a brutal knockout win in his last lightweight assignment against Justin Gaethje at UFC 300.

Previewing the clash in the recent UFC 318 Countdown episode, Poirier said:

"In my mind, I get his timing early. Beat him to the punch, beat him with shots that hurt him. Make him miss, make him pay by being better that night. He's a great fighter, but July 19, I'm better!"

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Check out Dustin Poirier's comments below:

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Holloway has made it clear that he wants to close the trilogy on his terms and stake a fresh claim in the 155-pound division. For him, this is a launchpad toward another title run.

For Poirier, a victory against Holloway in his last fight in front of his home crowd is the fairytale ending he may have dreamt of. He has faced the best of his era, endured five-round wars, heartbreak in title fights, and still finds himself ranked among the elite.

Max Holloway is ready for final brawl if UFC 318 fight against Dustin Poirier goes the distance

Max Holloway knows exactly how he wants UFC 318 to end. If the fight with Dustin Poirier reaches the final ten seconds, he expects both men to stand toe-to-toe and let their fists fly.

That’s how Holloway has always done it, and he expects Poirier to oblige. With the BMF title at stake, Holloway believes Poirier will embrace chaos one last time. Speaking about the fight in an interview with MMA Junkie, he said:

"[I'm] 100 percent sure he would. Last dance. Last 10 seconds. Point down to the ground. He might even do it. I'm 100 percent sure he's going to bring it."

Check out Max Holloway's comments below (10:20):

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