Dustin Poirier, the widely recognized American mixed martial artist and former interim UFC lightweight champion, has officially announced the date and opponent for what he states will be his final professional bout.
Scheduled for July 19th, “The Diamond” is set to face former featherweight titleholder Max Holloway for the third time in the main event of UFC 318, held in New Orleans, USA. Poirier previously defeated Holloway in their encounters in 2012 and 2019.
Poirier shared details regarding the highly anticipated matchup:
“This will be my last fight. I’ll leave my gloves in Louisiana, where it all started for me. My entire story began there, and it is a great honor for me that the UFC and the state of Louisiana were on the same wavelength and helped make this happen. On July 19, we will fight Max Holloway. Five rounds, the main event of the evening, a fight at a numbered tournament for his BMF title.”
Both fighters are stepping back into the octagon following recent losses in significant bouts. Dustin Poirier was submitted by Islam Makhachev in their lightweight championship contest last June, while Max Holloway suffered a knockout defeat to Ilia Topuria in his featherweight title challenge earlier this year.