UFC 318 will be Dustin Poirier’s 32nd and final walk to the Octagon.
The former UFC interim lightweight champion will undoubtedly go down as one of the greatest lightweights of all time when all is said and done, but the story is not finished just yet.
Poirier’s retirement fight comes against BMF Champion Max Holloway in New Orleans, Louisiana, on a special card created especially for the Lafayette native.
Poirier will also be accompanied by rapper Lil Wayne during his walkout, who might wrap the belt around him in front of his home crowd.
UFC 318 is an emotional moment for Poirier, who cried reading letters earlier this week.
A legendary boxing coach wants Poirier to keep all that in check for one of the biggest fights of his life.
Teddy Atlas tells Dustin Poirier to contain his emotions for UFC 318 retirement fight: ‘You have enough’
Boxing icon Teddy Atlas has been a fan of Poirier’s for many years.
Watching him knock out the likes of Conor McGregor in 2021 to his final fight on Saturday night, Atlas says Poirier needs to treat his retirement bout just like any other fight.
“That’s something that is very difficult to really digest, but it’s the only thing you can tell them,” Atlas said of his advice for Poirier on ESPN MMA.
“For now, it’s just gotta be another fight.
“You’ve done this now 50 times. We know it’s the last one.
“We understand the emotions that are gonna be involved. You’re at home, all of that, but it’s something you’ve done 50 times, and you’ve done it very well,” Atlas said of Poirier.
“You’ve done it great. Go do it great again. Don’t bring in the last fight too much into it, [fighting] at home, and all the emotions, all that…
“You have enough emotions,” Atlas said. “You wanna contain those emotions. You wanna control those emotions. You want, as close as possible, for it to be just another fight.”
Dustin Poirier vs. Max Holloway could bring end to BMF title
After UFC 318, four BMF title fights will have taken place in the UFC.
The ‘Baddest Motherf—–‘ belt was created in 2019, with the promotion crowning its first champion in Jorge Masvidal after his TKO via doctor stoppage win over Nate Diaz at UFC 244.
Then, the title was resurrected years later in 2023 as Justin Gaethje and Poirier rematched for the BMF title at UFC 291. Gaethje won the rematch by head kick knockout, tying up their series at 1-1.
Holloway is the latest BMF champion, having captured the belt from Gaethje in a buzzer-beater knockout at UFC 300.
Should Holloway defeat Poirier, he’d be the first fighter to successfully defend the title. ‘Blessed’ could potentially defend the belt against Charles Oliveira or Dan Hooker next, as some have suggested.
However, if a victorious Poirier retires as the BMF Champion, this could mean no more BMF title fights.