Former interim UFC light-weight champion Dustin Poirier will make the stroll to the octagon a last time at UFC 318 on July 19 at Smoothie King Heart in New Orleans. “The Diamond” takes on former featherweight champion and BMF titleholder Max Holloway in a trilogy struggle.
Poirier and Holloway first fought at UFC 143 in February 2012 within the featherweight division. It was Holloway’s octagon debut. Poirier defeated the Hawaiian by way of submission within the first spherical.
Their paths crossed once more seven years later at UFC 236 in April 2019 for the interim light-weight title. The rematch went the space with Poirier defeating Holloway for a second time. UFC matchmakers lined up the trilogy bout with the BMF belt on the road for Poirier’s swan tune however Poirier was eying a distinct opponent.
“(Holloway) wasn’t even a reputation I discussed to them earlier than we began speaking about this struggle coming collectively, this location, this retirement struggle. I had thrown out different names,” Poirier stated throughout an look on The Ariel Helwani Present.
Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje had been the names Poirier pitched to the struggle promotion. “I believed me and Gaethje would shut the trilogy, perhaps,” Poirier stated.
“This has been occurring for thus lengthy that Gaethje was matched up with Dan Hooker on the time that this actually began going down. He wasn’t an choice on the time.”
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If Poirier had his alternative, he’d be going through Gaethje in New Orleans on July 19, however a trilogy bout in opposition to Holloway is worthy of the event.
“Max is nice. I used to be his first struggle within the UFC. He is my final… It is simply cool with a full circle second like this with me and Max,” Poirier stated. “We fought initially on his UFC profession. We fought in the midst of his run and now preventing him on the finish of my profession. It is sort of cool.
“However closing the trilogy out with Gaethje means one thing to me too. However fascinated by what he stated in that interview, like, ‘our households do not deserve this.’ Anytime me and this man struggle, it may be a head-on-collision. Someone is getting damage, or each of us are getting damage,” continued Poirier. “We will struggle 100 instances, that is 100 hospital journeys for positive.
“I am not saying the Max struggle will not be a conflict as a result of the final one undoubtedly was. However Gaethje stated he was okay closing this factor out one and one, and the extra I am faraway from that struggle being an choice, the extra I am okay with it too.”
