Erick Nicksick shares interesting theory on why Dustin Poirier took tough retirement fight vs. Max Holloway

Erick Nicksick shared his thoughts on Dustin Poirier's decision to accept a high-risk matchup against Max Holloway for his retirement bout. While athletes typically prefer retiring off a win, Poirier's move seems to have surprised many, given the level of challenge that Holloway presents and their history of competing against each other.

In a recent episode of the Verse Us with Erick Nicksick podcast, Nicksick, the head coach of XTreme Couture, pointed to the commercial aspect of Poirier's decision, stating:

"It's also a business move because you need a title for a pay-per-view."

For those who may not know, the upcoming UFC 318 fight between Holloway and Poirier will be the third in their competitive rivalry, with Holloway's ceremonial BMF title on the line adding weight to the matchup. Both men are highly regarded figures in the MMA community, known for their exciting fighting styles.

Nicksick's comments suggest that the combination of these factors is likely to boost the pay-per-view sales and commercial success of the event.

Check out Erick Nicksick's comments below (1:02:52):

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Dustin Poirier gives training camp and weight update for UFC 318

Dustin Poirier has won both of his previous encounters against Max Holloway. However, their second fight, contested for the interim lightweight title at UFC 236, was a brutal five-round affair where both men were pushed to the limit of their abilities.

Heading into the trilogy fight, Poirier seems to be gearing up for another long-drawn battle. In a recent interview with MMA journalist Mike Bohn, the Louisiana native shared details about how he is approaching the final training camp of his competitive MMA career, stating:

"Where I am at, sharpening things up, staying injury-free, keeping my rhythm, my timing. I wouldn't say cruise control 'coz I'm still in the thick of it. But just mindful training. Pushing myself, counter-punching, getting ready for a high-volume fight against Max."

Poirier also mentioned that he has been losing weight relatively quickly during this training camp and aims to maintain his current weight until fight week.

Check out Dustin Poirier's comments below (51:15):

Holloway vs. Poirier 3 will headline the UFC 318 pay-per-view event scheduled for July 19 at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. The event will mark the promotion's first visit to the city since June 2015.