MMA Match Preview: Max Holloway (26-8) vs. Dustin Poirier (30-9) – Title Fight

Fight Details

Event: UFC 318: Holloway vs. Poirier 3

Date: Saturday, July 19, 2025

Time: 10:00 PM ET (Main Card)

Venue: Smoothie King Center, New Orleans, Louisiana

Title on the Line: BMF Championship

Broadcast: ESPN+ PPV

Fighter Profiles

Fighter	Max Holloway	Dustin Poirier
Nickname	“Blessed”	“The Diamond”
Record	26-8-0	30-9-0
Age	33	36
Height	5’11”	5’9″
Reach	69″	72″
Stance	Orthodox	Southpaw
UFC Titles	Former Featherweight Champion, Current BMF Champion	Former Interim Lightweight Champion

Holloway enters as the reigning BMF champ, having knocked out Justin Gaethje at UFC 300.

Poirier, fighting in his home state, has announced this will be his retirement bout.

Head-to-Head History

UFC 143 (2012): Poirier won via first-round submission

UFC 236 (2019): Poirier won via unanimous decision for the interim lightweight title

UFC 318 (2025): Third and final chapter, with legacy and the BMF belt on the line

Key Storylines

Retirement Stakes: Poirier aims to end his career with a symbolic title win in front of hometown fans

Redemption Arc: Holloway seeks his first win over Poirier and a potential path to a lightweight title shot

Durability Question: Holloway was knocked out for the first time in his career by Ilia Topuria at UFC 308, raising concerns about his legendary chin

Legacy Fight: Both fighters are icons—this bout could define their final chapters in the sport

Tactical Breakdown

Max Holloway

Strengths: Volume striking, cardio, durability

Recent Form: KO win vs. Gaethje, loss vs. Topuria

Strategy: Use leg kicks and pace to wear down Poirier, avoid power exchanges early

Dustin Poirier

Strengths: Power punching, boxing fundamentals, experience in wars

Recent Form: Loss vs. Makhachev, win vs. Benoît Saint-Denis

Strategy: Time Holloway early, land clean counters, control exchanges