Dustin Poirier reflected on his exchange with Max Holloway during the final 10 seconds of their BMF title fight. He revealed his mindset before their last flurry and why he chose to clinch rather than continue the exchange.
The UFC 318 main event delivered a thrilling and competitive fight. Both fighters landed knockdowns and hurt each other with big shots. However, Holloway ultimately walked away with the unanimous decision win and retained his BMF title.
As the ending of the fight neared, Holloway once again used his signature move—point to the canvas. He invited Poirier to trade hands, just like he did with Justin Gaethje.
Poirier accepted, but after a brief exchange, he grabbed a clinch and held on until the bell sounded.
Poirier later explained that Holloway’s speed in the final moments overwhelmed him. He decided to avoid a similar fate to Gaethje, who was knocked out in the last-second of their BMF title fight.
“What happened was what I thought was going to happen, the point down and we were going to exchange punches, but he was too fast,” Poirier said on The Ariel Helwani Show. “I might’ve thrown one or two punches back at him…We’re going to wrestle a little bit. I’m not doing this, I’m not going out like Gaethje.”
Dustin Poirier Shares Honest Thoughts on Performance Against Max Holloway
Looking back at their five-round battle, Poirier admitted that he initially thought the fight was much closer. But after re-watching it, he saw how Holloway pulled ahead on the scorecards.
Official judges scorecards reflected Holloway’s performance, with the judges scoring it 48-47, 49-46, and 49-46 in his favor. He clearly won at least three rounds, with two of the judges awarding him four.
Poirier said he believed he held back at times. Though it wasn’t intentional, he recognized that his output dropped, especially compared to Holloway’s volume.
He credited Holloway for landing more body shots and scoring points consistently.
“It felt a lot different than what it looked like from the outside when I watched it,” Poirier told Ariel Helwani. “I see how [Holloway] won these rounds. He was busier, throwing more volume, landing good body shots, just adding up scores in the piggybank.”
Poirier continued:
“Knowing this is the last one, knowing at end of the night the rankings didn’t matter, my next fight didn’t matter, not that I pulled back…But I could have put myself in harm’s way to maybe make something happen for sure.”
Dustin Poirier Content Despite Never Becoming Undisputed UFC champion
Poirier also spoke about his retirement and how he views his legacy. Despite never becoming undisputed UFC champion, he is at peace with how his career unfolded.
For Poirier, the title was always the dream. But now, he sees the greater value in the person he became along the way. He emphasized that the experience and growth meant more than any physical title.
“Of course, I wanted to have the belt, I wanted that title, undisputed, Poirier said. “But what’s more important, what you obtain on the journey or who you become on the journey,”
Poirier also highlighted the importance of being an inspiration and role model and setting a positive example.
“What you obtain is rented, it comes and goes, it’s going to belong to someone else. Who you become on the journey is forever.”
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