Dustin Poirier explains feeling ‘blindsided’ by Max Holloway retirement fight during negotiations with UFC
Max Holloway was the last person Dustin Poirier thought he would face in his final fight. Yet that’s exactly who ‘The Diamond’ finds himself up against in the main event of UFC 318 in July. Poirier and Holloway will likely put on another spectacular brawl at UFC 318Getty Images - Getty ‘The Diamond’ has stood toe-to-toe with the UFC’s biggest starsGetty The two UFC legends will lock horns in Poirier’s native New Orleans, Louisiana, before he bows out of the Octagon after a stellar career. It will be one of the longest standing trilogies in UFC history, as both men first met in 2012 before fighting for the interim lightweight title seven years later. But this isn’t the fight the 36-year-old wanted as he explained to MMA Junkie. “Well, I wanted [Justin] Gaethje,” Poirier said. “I was asking the UFC for Gaethje because we’re one and one.” Poirier stopped Gaethje in 2018, but was brutally knocked out by his American counterpart at UFC 291 in July 2023. “I wanted to close out that trilogy,” Poirier added, detailing how his subsequent negotiations played out. “For some reason, they really wanted this fight with Max. So I said, ‘Okay, that’s cool because I respect the guy.'” Poirier then revealed that a fight was never on the cards with Ilia Topuria, who vacated his featherweight belt to move up 10 pounds in February, despite the MMA world expecting the potential fantasy matchup. “Not once. Not once,” Poirier said. “Actually, when he said he was going to 155 [lbs], I texted UFC and said, ‘Hey, what’s up? Let me know what’s going on with this guy now he’s at 55.’ “But they never entertained it. They told me it’s not happening, and they wanted Max…like I said, this was blindsided. Poirier said Holloway was the ‘last person’ he thought would be his opponent for in retirement fightJeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC Holloway knocked out Gaethje at UFC 300 in what was a spectacular finishGetty “I thought Max was like the last person I thought they were going to try to match me up with.” Poirier made his UFC debut in 2011 and quickly established himself as one of the promotion’s hardest-hitting, toughest fighters. He has challenged for UFC gold three times, but failed on every attempt against Khabib Nurmagomedov, Charles Oliveira and Islam Makhachev – his last fight at UFC 302 in June 2024. ‘The Diamond’ is also the last person to fight Conor McGregor, having beaten the Irishman twice in 2021. Speaking to talkSPORT in February, Poirier said he would fight McGregor ‘to the death’ if they ever clashed again. “No, of course not,” Poirier said when asked if he gets on with McGregor four years after they met in the Octagon. Poirier has back-to-back victories over Conor McGregor ‘The Diamond’ beat him twice in 2021Getty Images “We will fight to the death if I see him…I don’t respect him as a man.” Poirier then opened up about his imminent retirement. “My next fight will be my last fight,” he said. “I’m going to put the gloves down and I’m just hoping I will be able to do that here in New Orleans, Louisiana – where I picked them up. “I started fighting in Louisiana, I would love to retire here in Louisiana in the summer. “Me and the UFC have been talking about this, they’re trying to get the state of Louisiana on board, New Orleans on board and we’re pushing for the summer so I really hope it comes together man.” Poirier’s wished have been granted, as he is set to headline a UFC card for one final time before leaving the sport once and for all. Holloway, however, may spoil the homecoming party, having recently secured one of the greatest KO’s in UFC history against Gaethje at UFC 300.
Max Holloway was the last person Dustin Poirier thought he would face in his final fight.
Yet that’s exactly who ‘The Diamond’ finds himself up against in the main event of UFC 318 in July.
The two UFC legends will lock horns in Poirier’s native New Orleans, Louisiana, before he bows out of the Octagon after a stellar career.
It will be one of the longest standing trilogies in UFC history, as both men first met in 2012 before fighting for the interim lightweight title seven years later.
But this isn’t the fight the 36-year-old wanted as he explained to MMA Junkie.
“Well, I wanted [Justin] Gaethje,” Poirier said. “I was asking the UFC for Gaethje because we’re one and one.”
Poirier stopped Gaethje in 2018, but was brutally knocked out by his American counterpart at UFC 291 in July 2023.
“I wanted to close out that trilogy,” Poirier added, detailing how his subsequent negotiations played out.
“For some reason, they really wanted this fight with Max. So I said, ‘Okay, that’s cool because I respect the guy.'”
Poirier then revealed that a fight was never on the cards with Ilia Topuria, who vacated his featherweight belt to move up 10 pounds in February, despite the MMA world expecting the potential fantasy matchup.
“Not once. Not once,” Poirier said. “Actually, when he said he was going to 155 [lbs], I texted UFC and said, ‘Hey, what’s up? Let me know what’s going on with this guy now he’s at 55.’
“But they never entertained it. They told me it’s not happening, and they wanted Max…like I said, this was blindsided.
“I thought Max was like the last person I thought they were going to try to match me up with.”
Poirier made his UFC debut in 2011 and quickly established himself as one of the promotion’s hardest-hitting, toughest fighters.
He has challenged for UFC gold three times, but failed on every attempt against Khabib Nurmagomedov, Charles Oliveira and Islam Makhachev – his last fight at UFC 302 in June 2024.
‘The Diamond’ is also the last person to fight Conor McGregor, having beaten the Irishman twice in 2021.
Speaking to talkSPORT in February, Poirier said he would fight McGregor ‘to the death’ if they ever clashed again.
“No, of course not,” Poirier said when asked if he gets on with McGregor four years after they met in the Octagon.
“We will fight to the death if I see him…I don’t respect him as a man.”
Poirier then opened up about his imminent retirement.
“My next fight will be my last fight,” he said.
“I’m going to put the gloves down and I’m just hoping I will be able to do that here in New Orleans, Louisiana – where I picked them up.
“I started fighting in Louisiana, I would love to retire here in Louisiana in the summer.
“Me and the UFC have been talking about this, they’re trying to get the state of Louisiana on board, New Orleans on board and we’re pushing for the summer so I really hope it comes together man.”
Poirier’s wished have been granted, as he is set to headline a UFC card for one final time before leaving the sport once and for all.
Holloway, however, may spoil the homecoming party, having recently secured one of the greatest KO’s in UFC history against Gaethje at UFC 300.
