Latest news with #TheDiamond
USA Today
21-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Dustin Poirier 'content' after UFC 318, points to sign that retirement was right call
NEW ORLEANS – Dustin Poirier has no regrets walking away from MMA after UFC 318. Poirier (30-10 MMA, 22-9 UFC) didn't get his fairytale ending after losing a unanimous decision to Max Holloway (27-8 MMA, 23- 8 UFC) for the BMF title in Saturday's headliner at Smoothie King Center. However, that doesn't mean that Poirier isn't grateful for the experience of having his retirement fight in his home state of Louisiana. "I feel content," Poirier told MMA Junkie a day after his fight. "Yeah, I feel content and happy with my career. Wish last night would have went a little bit different, but that's fighting, and I really had a good time out there, enjoyed the love, appreciated everybody. Seeing all the positive energy, it's been an incredible journey, an incredible career. What an experience. I got to learn so much in these years of fighting. I'm just thankful." Poirier initially took issue with the judges' scorecards, thinking he at least won Rounds 2 and 4. "Going through the fight and immediately my thoughts about what just happened, it was like I thought I did enough. I thought I did enough," Poirier said. "And then I got back and I watched it, like what you're feeling and going through in there, and then what you see as a fool from an outside view is two different things. I can see him winning rounds, throwing more volume, landing body shots, pulling away in rounds. So, what I watched was different than what I felt." Poirier and Holloway didn't earn Fight of the Night, which shocked Holloway, but "The Diamond" is happy that his last dance was another all-out war. Poirier proved to still be competitive at the highest level, but he noticed something that made him feel that retiring was the correct decision. "I just wanted one more battle, and he gave it to me," Poirier said. "I think in there, I felt like in between rounds talking to my boxing coach, I could have taken more chances, but I was trying to protect myself at the same time, and I never really fought like that before. I would always put myself in harm's way to land the big shots, and this one I didn't, and maybe that's a sign that the decision I made was the right one. Self-preservation, get home to my family safe, that type of thing."
USA Today
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Video: Watch 'Paid In Full,' UFC's tear-jerking tribute to Dustin Poirier's career
The UFC sent Dustin Poirier into retirement with an emotional night in New Orleans. As a part of the tribute to "The Diamond," the promotion put together an incredible video titled "Paid In Full: The Dustin Poirier Story," which first played during the UFC 318 broadcast before his final fight against Max Holloway. With "Last of My Kind" by Shaboozey playing as the background track, Poirier sat in front of a large screen, watching moments throughout his career. Starting with clips from the 2011 documentary "Fightville," Poirier watched and reacted to tear-jerking interviews with his family and former coaches, Harry Duhon and Tim Credeur. The video not only touched on Poirier's career inside the cage, but outside, where he has made a big impact in his community with The Good Fight Foundation. Poirier added his own commentary as the clips of wins over Michael Chandler, Conor McGregor, and more. Check out the video above.
USA Today
20-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
'Paid in full': Fighters react to Max Holloway's win vs. Dustin Poirier at UFC 318
WAR. @BlessedMMA & @DustinPoirier have arrived for their main event! 👀[ #UFC318 | 📺: ] Max Holloway finally got his get-back against Dustin Poirier at UFC 318 on Saturday when he emerged victorious from their trilogy bout. After losing to Poirier (30-10 MMA, 22-9 UFC) by submission in 2012 and decision in 2019, Holloway (27-8 MMA, 23-8 UFC) made the most of his last chance at Smoothie King Center in New Orleans when he scored a METHOD win to successfully defend the BMF title and split the retirement moment of "The Diamond." It marks a moment of triumph for Holloway as he fully commits his career to the lightweight division going forward, and now there are more big fights ahead for "Blessed," while Poirier says farewell to fighting after more than 15 years of competition. Check below for the top X (formerly Twitter) reactions to Holloway's win and Poirier's retirement at UFC 318. IT'S MAIN EVENT TIME AT #UFC318: Dustin Poirier is about to make his final walk to the octagon for his trilogy fight with Max Holloway! 💎Live coverage: Shit, I didn't realize Dustin was retiring after tonight, why is he retiring? Lil Wayne here for Dustin Poirier's final UFC walkout 💎 🥲#UFC318 | LIVE on TNT Sports & discovery+ From his first walk, to his last 🥲One final fight remains.[ #UFC318 | @DustinPoirier ] One last ride. 💎@DustinPoirier | #UFC318 The BMF! 🏆🤬 @BlessedMMA heads into the Octagon! #UFC318 Hate to see either guy lose here... 😬 #ufc318 GOOSEBUMPS.[ #UFC318 ] Holloway actually looks like a lightweight bigger fighter of the two and he lands heavy and drops Dustin early. Oh snap. Holloway drops Poirier! #UFC318 Max drops Dustin with a left! #UFC318 EARLY KNOCKDOWN FOR HOLLOWAY 😱 #UFC318 This fights for my belt #UFC318 Max looks incredible early. Looks like he can thump at 155 Dustin not out of this fight tho!!! #UFC318 CAN'T EVEN HEAR THE HORN IN HERE 🗣️We have a SCRAP![ #UFC318 ] HE JUMPED THE GUILLY!!!!!!#UFC318 Wow, round two was nuts, what a fight!!! What a fight! It looked like it might turn into a sad ending for DP and then that knockdown 👀 🤯 #UFC318 The MMA God cooking up the greatest draw we ever seen? 29-28 Holloway. Quickest 1-2 combo in the world! #UFC318 #UFC318 I got it two to one Max winning going into the fourth round, this body kick is effective 30-27? 🤔 #UFC318 High level fight 🔥🔥🔥#UFC318 Incredible Main event so far. Have Max up 3 rounds to 0 tho. #UFC318 I have it 40-36 for may appear lopsided and while the last three rounds have been very close, I have given Holloway a slight edge in all three. The jab and hand fight of Dustin is helping the most…Max throwing 4 punch combos and moving laterally is keeping it super competitive! Could be 2-2 going into 5th. #UFC318 This is what the bmf belt is all about! #ufc318 2-2 🤷♂️ #UFC318 5 minutes left in Dustin Poirier's mixed martial arts career. Go for it all! #UFC318 Fighting for the BMF for a reason 😮💨5 more minutes remain![ #UFC318 ] Official stats entering the final round The last round of his career 🫡 What a great fight!! Happy retirement @DustinPoirier #UFC318 Great scrap. Think Holloway took it but they are both OGs and we are lucky to have them What a fight I hate to see you go Dustin You know what's gonna happen next!👇😤 #UFC318 #UFC318 results: Max Holloway def. Dustin Poirier via unanimous decision (48-47, 49-46, 49-46)Live coverage: Paid in full Dustin is a legend amazing career Knew what he was getting into for a final fight 🤝All respect between these two![ #UFC318 ]
USA Today
18-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
UFC 318 weigh-in video: Dustin Poirier makes weight for final fight vs. Max Holloway
NEW ORLEANS – Max Holloway and Dustin Poirier made weight for the UFC 318 main event official on Friday, locking in their trilogy bout for the BMF title and what will be the final career contest for "The Diamond." Former longtime featherweight champion and current BMF titleholder Holloway (26-8 MMA, 22-8 UFC) begins what he says is a permanent move to the lightweight division for the showdown with Poirier (30-9 MMA, 22-8 UFC), who is set to retire from active competition in his home state in the headliner of Saturday's card at Smoothie King Center (ESPN+ pay-per-view, ESPN, ESPN+). It was a drama-free trip to the scale for both men at Friday's official UFC 318 weigh-in at the host hotel. Poirier was the first fighter to come to the scale and registered at 156 pounds after his last weight cut. Poirier will attempt to end his career on a high and make it 3-0 over Holloway, who he defeated by first-round submission at UFC 143 in February 2012 then edged on the scorecards in the rematch at UFC 236 in April 2019. Watch the video below to see Holloway and Poirier make weight for their UFC 318 trilogy fight.
USA Today
17-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
UFC 318 video: Max Holloway, Dustin Poirier faceoff overseen by Daniel Cormier
NEW ORLEANS – Familiar foes Max Holloway and Dustin Poirier squared up against ahead of their third career encounter at Thursday's UFC 318 pre-fight press conference. BMF titleholder Holloway will serve as the retirement-fight opponent for Poirier on Saturday at Smoothie King Center in Louisiana (ESPN+ pay-per-view, ESPN, ESPN+), also giving "Blessed" a chance to avenge a pair of losses the "The Diamond" from February 2012 and April 2019. Poirier (30-9 MMA, 22-8 UFC) has other plans, however, because he will try to end his career on a high by both winning his final fight and taking the BMF strap off Holloway (26-8 MMA, 22-8 UFC) to go three-up in their head-to-head series. Although both men have expressed the utmost respect for each other since the matchup was booked, the intensity was obvious when they stood face-to-face. As a special touch for Louisiana, Hall of Famer Daniel Cormier stood between both men. Check out the video above to see the UFC 318 press conference faceoff between Holloway and Poirier.
