Dustin Poirier will share his final card with a familiar face at UFC 318.
Poirier will end his career against Max Holloway when the pair complete their trilogy in the main event of the July 19 pay-per-view.
After initially contemplating retirement in the aftermath of his third failed bid to reach the undisputed lightweight throne, Poirier’s submission loss to Islam Makhachev was soon followed with confirmation that ‘The Diamond’ will have one final farewell.
Poirier has had his wish to have his last fight close to home granted, with the Louisianan standout set to headline inside New Orleans’ Smoothie King Center.
And there, the fan favorite’s opponent on the night won’t be the only former adversary making the walk.
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Michael Johnson vs Daniel Zellhuber joins undercard of Dustin Poirier-headlined UFC 318 event
With the UFC 318 event and the conclusion of Poirier’s memorable tenure as an MMA fighter fast approaching, the full lineup is beginning to come together.
Joining the likes of Marvin Vettori, Neil Magny, Ikram Aliskerov, and Amanda Ribas on the card will be a veteran of 42 professional fights in Michael Johnson.
The 38-year-old lightweight has shared the Octagon with big names such as Poirier, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Justin Gaethje, Josh Emmett, Nate Diaz, and Edson Barboza during his 17-year career.
Per MMA Fighting, Johnson’s latest outing will be against rising prospect Daniel Zellhuber, who is at the opposite stage of his career.
Johnson will enter the contest on the back of two straight wins, with ‘The Menace’s’ most recent triumph coming by way of a vintage knockout against Ottman Azaitar in December 2024.
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Michael Johnson needed just 95 seconds to knock Dustin Poirier out
The booking has sparked flashbacks to another of Johnson’s career-best results.
‘The Menace’ headlined in the UFC for the first time in September 2016, facing Poirier in what marked Johnson’s return after losing a Fight of the Night clash against Diaz 10 months earlier.
The main event in Hidalgo, Texas, was quickly over after Johnson knocked Poirier out in under two minutes, earning himself the Performance of the Night to make it back-to-back bonuses.
The result was the culmination of a brief but somewhat heated feud, with Johnson branding Poirier disrespectful for downplaying his skills during the lead-up to their bout.