Dustin Poirier to close UFC career with Max Holloway trilogy title fight
This will be the third battle between the lightweight combatants, the 36-year-old Poirier, who hails from Lafayette, La., taking the first two contests.
Both fighters are coming off losses in title fights, however. Poirier (30-9) submitted to Islam Makhachev last June, while the 33-year-old Holloway (26-8) lost in knockout fashion to Ilia Topuria in October.
"For Dustin Poirier to be able to finish his remarkable UFC career in New Orleans is special," UFC executive vice president Peter Dropick said in a news release. "Thank you to the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation, the Louisiana Office of Tourism, New Orleans & Company and Smoothie King Center for helping us make this happen.
"It's been 10 years since we've held an event in New Orleans, we know the fans are ready for us to be back!"
The Octagon will also play host to ranked middleweights No 10 Marvin Vettori (19-8-1) and No. 11 Brendan Allen (24-7), who will do battle for the first time in an official capacity at UFC 318.
The two were slated to fight at UFC Vegas 90 last April, though Vettori pulled out. A few months later, the pair squared off (unofficially) in a brawl at a Florida casino.
Their ranked billing remains hotly anticipated.
The rest of the lineup includes newly announced fights between Kyler Phillips (12-3) and Vinicius Oliveira (22-3) at the bantamweight level, Jimmy Crute (12-4-2) facing Marcin Prachnio (17-8) in light heavyweight and Carli Judice (4-2) battling Nicolle Caliari (8-3) at women's fly.
Other fights include:
--No. 7 Amanda Ribas vs. No. 10 Tabatha Ricci in strawweight
--Neil Magny vs. Gunnar Nelson in welterweight
--Adam Fuitt vs. Islam Dulatov in welterweight
--Ikram Aliskerov vs. Brunno Ferreira in middleweight
--Field Level Media REUTERS
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Straits Times
04-07-2025
- Straits Times
UFC fighter Joshua Van hopes his success will put spotlight on Myanmar crisis
Joshua Van of Myanmar and Brandon Royval of the United States exchange blows in their flyweight bout during UFC 317 at T-Mobile Arena on June 28, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. SINGAPORE – Each time Joshua 'The Fearless' Van steps into the Octagon, the mixed martial arts (MMA) athlete is fighting for more than himself. The 23-year-old hails from Myanmar's Chin State, the mountainous western state bordering Bangladesh and India, where clashes continue in its capital Hakha between resistance forces and the military, which seized power from an elected government in a 2021 coup. And as he battles his way up the rungs of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), Van, the only Myanmar-born fighter on the promotion's roster, hopes that 'the bigger I get, the more they all know about Myanmar', as he wants to raise awareness on the struggles back home. He will get his chance to do that soon. On June 29, in front of a sold-out crowd at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Van made history by defeating the UFC's then No. 1 ranked flyweight Brandon Royval by unanimous decision to earn the right to be the next challenger for the UFC flyweight title held by Alexandre Pantoja. He will be the first Southeast Asian-born fighter to challenge for a UFC belt. After stepping up as a replacement for the injured Manel Kape with less than three weeks' notice, Van's win made the MMA world sit up and take notice of the flyweight sensation. It was the first fight in UFC history where two fighters each had more than 200 significant strikes and the bout was awarded Fight of the Night – both athletes took home an additional US$50,000 (S$63,700). For his first six fights in the UFC, Van, who is now an American citizen but fights under the Myanmar flag, did not have permission to take the Myanmar flag into the ring. While he did not know why it was not allowed, during a bout in March he fought hard and the flag was draped over his shoulders for the first time. Van told The Straits Times in a video interview from Texas: 'The reason why they (UFC) let me carry my flag to the ring was because I fought for it. And for me to do that and show the world, it means a lot. It makes me feel like I fight for my people. I fight for my country. I want people to know where I am from and what Myanmar is. 'The bigger I get, the more they all know about Myanmar. So for me to for me to do that, I have to work harder.' Since making his UFC debut in 2023, Van has risen through ranks with his explosive striking and relentless pace in the Octagon, where he has a record of eight wins and a loss. UFC vice president and head of Asia, Kevin Chang, has witnessed Van's rise and describes it as being 'incredible to watch', noting that he has 'given the fans in Myanmar a true sporting icon'. Born in Hakha, Van and his family – he has four sisters – fled to Malaysia when he was about nine after Myanmar became increasingly ridden with military and political conflict. About two years later, the refugees relocated to Houston, Texas, where Van picked up MMA before making his amateur debut in 2020. He may be far from home, but he keeps up to date on the situation in Myanmar through other family members who remained. When asked about what he wants the world to know about his country of birth, he said: 'I want people to understand that Myanmar used to be a strong, independent country, until these government takeovers. It ruined it all for us. But we are still fighting... and we will fight until we get the victory. I'm the example of that. 'I lost, but I get back up and keep going.' Despite the fact that some pundits have suggested that Van may face a grappling disadvantage against 'The Cannibal,' he still fancies his chances. While the UFC has not announced a date, Pantoja has suggested the match could take place in December. Van said: 'I'm always confident when it comes to fighting, so this is not going to be anything different. I am just going to go in there, do my thing, and get that belt for sure. 'I am going to feel like I'm on top of the world (if I succeed). I am going to be letting everybody know what Myanmar is about so that would mean the world to me.'
New Paper
04-07-2025
- New Paper
'The game has lost a legend': Liverpool fans in Singapore mourn Diogo Jota
It was a regular work afternoon for Eddy Chua on July 3 when the Singaporean received a Telegram notification that read "Diogo Jota died". Stunned, he turned to Google to check if it was true and saw early reports from several outlets claiming the Liverpool footballer had passed away. Soon after, chatter picked up in a WhatsApp group comprising fellow Liverpool fans, and reports from more established sources - Liverpool Echo, Sky News and the BBC - confirmed the worst: the Portuguese forward and his brother Andre Silva, also a professional footballer, had died in a car crash in Zamora, Spain. The authorities said Jota, 28, and Silva, 25, died after the Lamborghini they were in had veered off a motorway and burst into flames shortly after midnight on July 3. Chua, 29, found it difficult to return to work after reading the news. The content lead said: "Throughout the late afternoon, I was just stoning in front of my screen, trying to take in the fact that one of our own just left like that. "Some of the fans posted Jota's wedding photos to the chat too, which made me even more emotional. He had just won the Premier League, gotten married and Liverpool had also been making ambitious signings this summer. "It was supposed to be like a start of something new for Jota, in his career and family. But he is just gone like that." Like Chua, many Singaporean Reds fans were still coming to terms with the news hours after it broke. Real estate agent Eric Kwek recalled how a month ago, he was in Liverpool among hundreds of thousands of fans, as Jota and the rest of the squad marked the club's 20th top-flight league title with an open-top bus parade through the city. Earlier this week, he had come across clips of fans singing Jota's chant, which he noted was voted one of the most popular among Liverpool supporters. The 47-year-old also expressed his sympathy for Jota's family. Jota and long-time partner Rute Cardoso, who have three children, had just tied the knot less than two weeks ago. One fond memory Kwek has of Jota is his last goal for Liverpool - the winner in a 1-0 Merseyside derby victory over rivals Everton in April. It was a crucial victory in the Reds' title charge as they returned from the international break, bouncing back from their Champions League exit against Paris Saint-Germain and a League Cup final loss to Newcastle United. Kwek said: "To lose two games in a week this season was not common for Liverpool so it was quite tough for them to pick up again, especially since they had not secured the title. "He gave confidence back to the team to pursue the last trophy." Despite injury setbacks last season, Jota played a key role in the Reds' Premier League title win, making 26 league appearances and contributing six goals and four assists. In all, he recorded 65 goals and 26 assists in 182 Reds matches. Suren Daniel, who is self-employed as a hawker, remembers Jota for his work ethic and humility. The 38-year-old said: "A true fans' player. Every time he was on the bench, or back from injury, and when he was called upon to perform, he was a player who never let us down and would always give his all without complaining." Student Megan Foo, 22, shared the same sentiment, saying: "What stood out most was how he never seemed to disappoint on the pitch... He had this quiet determination and came across as a genuinely humble and grounded guy. I'll always remember him as a clutch, consistent and committed player." While many praised his abilities on the pitch, what left a lasting impression on Kwang Yu, who runs online sports platform Grandstand alongside his day job in marketing, was Jota's personality. When Liverpool visited Singapore as part of their pre-season tour in 2023, the 32-year-old recalled that Jota took the time to answer questions in the media mixed zone. He said: "He was one of the players who stopped for a post-match interview by one of our media colleagues. It was very chill, nice chat, (he was) down-to-earth and very humble. "One of the questions that was asked to him is which fantasy player would he pick for the new season, and cheekily he mentioned himself. "Very, very nice guy, I would say. Not every player would stop for an interview, so kudos to him." Benjamin Raj, 32, a senior executive at a statutory board, said the news was a sobering reminder of life's fragility. He said: "The game has lost a true legend. It just shows you need to enjoy life whenever you can, because you just don't know what's going to happen next." Flower tributes for Liverpool's Portuguese footballer Diogo Jota outside Anfield Stadium in Liverpool on July 3. PHOTO: REUTERS Fellow Liverpool fan Melvin Wong, who is self-employed, recalled Jota's standout performances against Arsenal - a team he often thrived against. Jota scored on his Premier League debut for the Reds in a 3-1 win over the Gunners in September 2020, and later netted a brace in a 2-0 League Cup semi-final victory during the 2021-22 season, helping Liverpool reach the final, which they eventually won. The 49-year-old said: "He was a clinical striker, an outstanding header of the ball. I think I can say on behalf of every Liverpool fan that we will miss him and never forget him."
Straits Times
03-07-2025
- Straits Times
A true fans' player – Liverpool supporters in Singapore pay tribute to late Diogo Jota
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Diogo Jota and his brother died after the Lamborghini they were in had veered off a motorway and burst into flames on July 3. SINGAPORE – It was a regular work afternoon for Eddy Chua on July 3 when the Singaporean received a Telegram notification that read 'Diogo Jota died'. Stunned, he turned to Google to check if it was true and saw early reports from several outlets claiming the Liverpool footballer had passed away. Soon after, chatter picked up in a WhatsApp group comprising fellow Liverpool fans, and reports from more established sources – Liverpool Echo, Sky News and the BBC – confirmed the worst: the Portuguese forward and his brother Andre Silva, also a professional footballer, had died in a car crash in Zamora, Spain. The authorities said Jota, 28, and Andre, 25, died after the Lamborghini they were in had veered off a motorway and burst into flames shortly after midnight on July 3. Chua, 29, found it difficult to return to work after reading the news. The content lead said: 'Throughout the late afternoon, I was just stoning in front of my screen, trying to take in the fact that one of our own just left like that. 'Some of the fans posted Jota's wedding photos to the chat too which made me even more emotional. He had just won the Premier League , gotten married and Liverpool had also been making ambitious signings this summer. 'It was supposed to be like a start of something new for Jota, in his career and family. But he is just gone like that.' Like Chua, many Singaporean Reds fans were still coming to terms with the news hours after it broke. Real estate agent Eric Kwek recalled how a month ago, he was in Liverpool among hundreds of thousands of fans, as Jota and the rest of the squad marked the club's 20th top-flight league title with an open-top bus parade through the city. Earlier this week, he had come across clips of fans singing Jota's chant, which he noted was voted one of the most popular among Liverpool supporters. The 47-year-old also expressed his sympathy for Jota's family. Jota and his long-time partner Rute Cardoso, who have three children, had just tied the knot less than two weeks ago. One fond memory Kwek has of Jota is his last goal for Liverpool – the winner in a 1-0 Merseyside derby victory over rivals Everton in April. It was a crucial victory in the Reds' title charge as they returned from the international break, bouncing back from their Champions League exit against Paris Saint-Germain and a League Cup final loss to Newcastle United . Kwek said: 'To lose two games in a week this season was not common for Liverpool so it was quite tough for them to pick up again, especially since they had not secured the title. 'He gave confidence back to the team to pursue the last trophy.' Despite injury setbacks last season, Jota played a key role in the Reds' Premier League title win, making 26 league appearances and contributing six goals and four assists. In all, he scored 65 goals and 26 assists in 182 Reds matches. Suren Daniel, who is self-employed as a hawker, remembers Jota for his work ethic and humility. The 38-year-old said: 'A true fans' player. Every time he was on the bench, or back from injury, and when he was called upon to perform, he was a player who never let us down and would always give his all without complaining.' Student Megan Foo, 22, shared the same sentiment, saying: ' What stood out most was how he never seemed to disappoint on the pitch... He had this quiet determination and came across as a genuinely humble and grounded guy. I'll always remember him as a clutch, consistent and committed player.' Flower tributes for Liverpool's Portuguese footballer Diogo Jota outside Anfield Stadium in Liverpool on July 3. PHOTO: REUTERS While many praised his abilities on the pitch, what left a lasting impression on Kwang Yu, who runs online sports platform Grandstand alongside his day job in marketing, was Jota's personality. When Liverpool visited Singapore as part of their pre-season tour in 2023, the 32-year-old recalled that Jota took the time to answer questions in the media mixed zone. He said: ' He was one of the players who stopped for a post-match interview by one of our media colleagues. It was very chill, nice chat, down-to-earth and very humble. 'One of the questions that was asked to him is which fantasy player would he pick for the new season, and cheekily he mentioned himself. Very, very nice guy, I would say. Not every player would stop for an interview, so kudos to him.' Benjamin Raj, 32, a senior executive at a statutory board, said the news was a sobering reminder of life's fragility. He said: 'The game has lost a true legend. It just shows you need to enjoy life whenever you can, because you just don't know what's going to happen next.' Fellow Liverpool fan Melvin Wong, who is self-employed, recalled Jota's standout performances against Arsenal – a team he often thrived against. Jota scored on his Premier League debut for the Reds in a 3-1 win over the Gunners in September 2020, and later netted a brace in a 2-0 League Cup semi-final victory during the 2021-22 season, helping Liverpool reach the final, which they eventually won. The 49-year-old said: 'He was a clinical striker, an outstanding header of the ball. I think I can say on behalf of every Liverpool fan that we will miss him and never forget him.'
