Dustin Poirier’s legendary journey is nearing its final chapter, and we as fans are all waiting to witness it. As UFC 318 draws closer, he’s set to face Max Holloway one last time in a highly anticipated trilogy bout. With Poirier confirming that he’ll retire after this fight in his hometown of New Orleans, the stage is set for a fitting farewell. There’s no doubt that the fight will be nothing short of entertaining. However, there is one more thing that the fans can expect, according to Poirier’s coach, Mike Brown. The coach feels it has all the makings to be the ‘Fight of the Year’.
With only a few months to go before their final showdown, Holloway and Poirier are deep in preparation for the long-anticipated clash. The countdown has begun, and both fighters are sharpening their skills for what promises to be an unforgettable battle. Poirier’s long-time coach, Mike Brown, is extremely proud of the way his student’s career has gone to date. Although ‘The Diamond’ was never able to catch hold of the belt( only interim champion), his performances inside the Octagon are second to none. Also, by choosing Holloway as his last opponent, the former interim champion is ready to put on a show for the fans.
Both fighters have faced each other twice inside the Octagon, with Poirier coming out on top twice. However, this time Brown believes there is a lot more at stake. While speaking to Damon Martin of MMAFightingOnSBN, the legendary coach said, “Yeah, storybook ending, man. What a hell of a career this guy had. And no place better to do it than his hometown or his home state, Louisiana, you know, against a reputable monster world champ, you know, Max Holloway. They have done it a couple of times, but this one’s for the BMF belt, which is kind of cool. It will be a big show, big production, and you know, as always, you know fight of the year guaranteed”. After years of battles and a storied rivalry, this trilogy bout sets the stage for a fairytale ending to Poirier’s remarkable career.
Since the time the fight has been announced, experts and former fighters have started picking their favorite. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Daniel Cormier shared his thoughts on Dustin Poirier’s retirement plans. He said, “Look, man, everybody wants to fight at home, but it’s not always the best. Think about this, the guys that have fought at home in a retirement fight, how’s it gone?” Now former lightweight champion Charles Oliveira has also come up with his own predictions for the clash. Let us take a look at what he has to say about the whole.
Charles Oliveira picks his favorite for the fight between Max Holloway and Dustin Poirier
The Brazilian fighter has faced both men inside the Octagon, and knows exactly their strengths and weaknesses. In a conversation with the team at Full Violence, Oliveira was asked to weigh in on who he thinks will come out on top. Given his unique perspective as someone who’s gone toe-to-toe with both fighters, ‘Do Bronx’ firstly said, ‘When I fought Holloway, I didn’t have the chance to fight because it was too fast, but I had an injury. I think Holloway is a guy who moves a lot, a guy who catches.” However, he then pointed out what exactly it felt like when he took on ‘The Diamond’.
Oliveira said, “But man, Dustin Poirier is a guy that I have huge respect for. Of all the guys that I have fought, he’s the one with the sharpest boxing. He fights more consciously, he has a heavy hand, he knows how to play the game. He will fight at home, particularly, so I think Poirier wins.” Though many in the MMA world believe Dustin Poirier still has more to give, he feels his time has come. As a former interim lightweight champion, Poirier has made three runs at the undisputed title, facing Khabib Nurmagomedov, Charles Oliveira, and Islam Makhachev. Yet, despite his world-class boxing and grit, each of those attempts ended in submission, leaving him just short of capturing the crown.
But do you think he can finish his career with a victory against the highly skilled Max Holloway? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
The post Gearing Up for Dustin Poirier’s Last Dance, Coach Gives a “Guarantee” on UFC Retirement Fight appeared first on EssentiallySports.