BMF titleholder Max Holloway believes the last 10 seconds of UFC 318 could be another chaotic moment.
Max Holloway and Dustin Poirier will go to battle for the third time of their legendary careers this Saturday at UFC 318. It’ll be Poirier’s last hurrah, as the Lafayette, Louisiana native will retire after UFC 318 in front of hundreds of friends and family in New Orleans.
Holloway and Poirier share a cordial, yet competitive relationship ahead of their trilogy at UFC 318. While Holloway wishes Poirier well in retirement, he doesn’t plan on sending his longtime rival into retirement on a high note.
Max Holloway is planning on last-second brawl with Dustin Poirier at UFC 318
Holloway’s BMF title will be on the line once again at UFC 318, as Poirier gets a second chance to earn the coveted fan favorite belt. Poirier lost to Justin Gaethje by head-kick knockout for the then-vacant BMF belt at UFC 291.
After Gaethje knocked out Poirier, Holloway would be the next BMF title challenger, knocking out Gaethje at the buzzer at UFC 300. It remains one of the most iconic knockouts in UFC history.
Holloway’s KO was initiated partly due to a ‘point down’ gesture he gave to Gaethje as a signal to throw wild exchanges at the end of their UFC 300 fight. If their UFC 318 headliner goes the distance, Holloway plans on potentially making history again.
In a recent interview with MMA Junkie‘s Mike Bohn, Holloway was asked if lightning could strike for a third time in his career against Poirier at UFC 318.
“(I’m) 100 percent sure he would,” Holloway said of Poirier.
“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.
“Hearing those words excites me. If it’s a war he wants, it’s a war he’s going to get. It’s going to be a bunch of knuckleheads in there. I wouldn’t want it any other way, especially with the BMF title on the line.”
Holloway has successfully initiated chaotic, last-second brawls two prior times in his career. The first was when he was rising up the featherweight ranks against Ricardo Lamas, with the second coming against Gaethje.
Holloway and Poirier aren’t strangers to wild, chaotic brawls inside the Octagon. Poirier has earned 10 ‘Fight of the Night’ post-fight performances bonuses during his career, including most recently against Islam Makhachev at UFC 302.
Max Holloway vs. Justin Gaethje rematch possible after UFC 318
If Holloway is victorious at UFC 318, he’s potentially one win away from challenging for the UFC lightweight title. His former rival, Ilia Topuria, earned the then-vacant belt at UFC 317 last month.
Holloway recently downplayed Topuria’s three-fight knockout streak that includes wins over Alexander Volkanovski, Charles Oliveira, and him. Holloway lost to Topuria at UFC 308 before announcing a full-time move to the lightweight division.
Holloway could potentially face Gaethje in a rematch, if Gaethje doesn’t retire following his recent ultimatum to the UFC brass. Gaethje hasn’t fought since defeating Rafael Fiziev at UFC 313.