While some fighters tend to announce their retirement in a post-fight interview, lightweight legend Dustin Poirier let the community know that UFC 318 is going to be his “last dance.” And to cap off his career, he’s not getting to fight for a title, but also a rival whom he welcomed into the promotion, Max Holloway. The whole PPV card has been built around the Louisiana native, as Dana White claimed, “This is for him.”
Well, what could seem like a fairytale ending to Dustin Poirier’s career could also turn into a nightmare. How? Well, former UFC and Bellator champion Eddie Alvarez claimed that ‘The Diamond’ should have kept the retirement announcement for later, after his fight against Max Holloway was over and done with. That, according to ‘The Underground King’, the retirement thoughts could affect Poirier psychologically at UFC 318.
“Personally, I don’t like when a guy says ‘I’m done, I’m retiring,’ and then he proceeds to fight. I don’t like that,” Eddie Alvarez told The Schmo during a recent interview. “I’ve never seen it actually go well for someone where they say they’re gonna retire, they go out there, they put on a performance of a lifetime, and then walk off into the sunset. Rarely do you see that.”
Well, Eddie Alvarez may not be wrong about a fighter heading into the fight after announcing it to be their last fight. One of the most notable examples where a fighter failed to come out on top after announcing their retirement plans was Anthony Smith, who had a rather unceremonious end to his 60-fight career. But besides the warning, the former UFC fighter hoped to see a spectacle on July 19.
“So, I don’t love that that’s the situation we’re going into. I’d rather Dustin [had] been quiet about retirement, and just go do his fight. And then maybe retire after or something like that.” Eddie Alvarez added. “I don’t care who wins or loses that fight. I’m a fan of both of them.”
NEW YORK CITY, NY – NOVEMBER 12: L-R Dustin Poirier looks on during the UFC 281 event at Madison Square Garden on November 12, 2022 in New York City, New York, United States. Photo by Louis Grasse/PxImages Louis Grasse / SPP PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxBRAxMEX Copyright: xLouisxGrassex/xSPPx spp-en-LoGr-lrg2211121091204_UFC281_MAIN
Meanwhile, that’s not the only thing Dustin Poirier got warned about ahead of his last fight. Many would believe that fighting an old foe may not be that big of a challenge, but a UFC Hall of Famer insinuated that the third time against Max Holloway may not be the charm for ‘The Diamond’. Here’s what he had to say.
Dustin Poirier warned about a ‘different version’ of Max Holloway
The UFC 318 main event is not just a BMF title fight but also a clash of former champions. So, we’re bound to get a great fight as both fighters are legends in their own right and have a stacked resume. Dustin Poirier may have had the edge twice in his previous encounters with Max Holloway, but Hall of Fame legend Michael Bisping claims that the landscape has changed a bit because ‘Blessed’ is operating at the peak of his powers.
“All the advantages that Dustin Poirier had in those first two fights kind of works against him now… Max Holloway made his UFC debut against Dustin Poirier. He was only like 20 years old or something like that. Dustin Poirier was older. He was more experienced. He had the man strength. He was a little bit more technical,” Michael Bisping stated on his YouTube channel. “Now, all that stuff comes at a cost. Yeah, he’s getting older. Yeah, there is wear and tear on the body… whereas Max Holloway [is] still very much in his prime, being the younger man.”
Both Max Holloway and Dustin Poirier will be making their return with individual title fight losses. But even though the Hawaiian native lost at featherweight, his jaw-dropping and buzzer-beating knockout of Justin Gaethje proves that things are always the same when a fighter makes weight class movements. “They’re both very good, they’re both very technical. Look at the last fight that Max Holloway had against Justin Gaethje… He went out there, beat him toe-to-toe, and then knocked him out cold… At 155, I think it is a different version.”
Dustin Poirier may have been warned, but the man is guaranteed to give us something to stay glued to his final fight because he never goes down without a fight. Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see if Max Holloway can get one back and ruin ‘The Diamond’s retirement. Let us know your thoughts in the comments down below.
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