One of the biggest favorites of the UFC fans will hang on his gloves on Saturday evening, but not before he tries to go out with a last victory. Dustin Poirier should retire after his confrontation with Max Holloway for the BMF championship, and he can do it in front of his New Orleans fans at the UFC 318.
Poirier holds two previous victories on Holloway, but has never reached the same level of championship achievements as Holloway. Poirier never organized a full title of the UFC, having to settle for a light title victory against Holloway in April 2019.
Poirier even failed in his first offer for the BMF title when he was eliminated by Justin Gaethje. Holloway would remove this Gaethje belt with a brilliant performance at the UFC 300, and now he and Poirier find themselves again, this time with a title that symbolizes what fans have thought of the two men throughout their careers.
The main card will also include some best fighters from different weight classes. The co-printing event opposes average weights against each other as an increasing Roman Kopylov competitor faces the former challenger of the title Paulo Costa. The Kevin Holland always talkative and entertaining is back when he faces Daniel Rodriguez in Welterweight. And the former Bellator champion with two division Patricio Pitbull seeks to win his first victory under the banner of the UFC when he faces Dan IgE in Featherweight.
Dustin Poirier arrives at sunset as one of MMA’s rare guys: “ I just live my life ”
Shakiel Mahjouri
With so many things that happen on Saturday evening, let’s take a closer look at the complete combat card with the last ratings before moving on to our predictions and choices for the PPV part of the festivities.
UFC 318 combat card, dimensions
- Max HOLLOWAY (C) -130 against Dustin Poirier +110, Lightweights, “BMF”
- Kopylov novel -240 against Paulo Costa +200, average weight
- Kevin Holland -450 against Daniel Rodriguez, Weight Welter
- Dan Ige -210 against Patricio Pitbull +175, featherweight
- Daniel Zellhuber -550 against Michael Johnson +400, light
- Vinicius oliveira -165 against Kyler Phillips +140, Coq weight
- Brendan Allen -205 against Marvin Vettori +170, average weight
- Francisco Prado -140 against Nikolay Veretennikov +120, Welter weight
- Ateba Gautier -550 against Robert Valentin +400, average weight
- Islam Dulatov -600 against Adam Fugitt +430, Welter weight
- Jimmy Crute -280 against Marcin Prachnio +230, Light heavyweight
- Ryan Spann -220 against Lukasz Brzeski +180, light heavyweight
- Brunno Ferreira -700 against Jackson McVey +500, average weight
- Carli Judice -300 against Nicolle Caliari +240, fly weight
With such a massive main event in barrels, the CBS Sports crew continued the predictions and choices for the main card. Here are your manufacturers of choice: Brent Brookhouse (Combat Sports writer), Brian Campbell (Combat Sports writer), Shakiel Mahjouri (writer), Michael Morle (producer) and Brandon Wise (main publisher).
PICKS UFC 318, predictions
| Poirier against Holloway | Pear tree | Hollow | Hollow | Hollow | Hollow |
| Costa against Kopyl | Costa | Costa | Kopyl | Kopyl | Kopyl |
| Holland against Rodriguez | Holland | Holland | Holland | Holland | Holland |
| Ige vs pitbull | Pitbull | Ige | Pitbull | Pitbull | Ige |
| Zellhuber against Johnson | Cellhuber | Cellhuber | Cellhuber | Cellhuber | Cellhuber |
Poirier against Holloway
Campbell: Le Poirier, 36, does not lack motivation for author a book of stories ending with his career of the UFC tested in combat, in his country of origin, no less. But even if he is a slight outsider of bets against the young Holloway, who begins his first full -time race as 155 pounds, Poirier has sworn to leave everything lying around in his final fight and seems to have been as well as we have ever seen. Poirier remains the largest fighter and lighter more natural. And the same thing that raised him in front of Holloway in their 2019 revenge match for the temporary title – his advantage in the punching power – remains an important part of the equation of their trilogy. In the most perfect setting for a career sending, because the UFC has never facilitated, Poirier will have the crowd and the mental edge of having already defeated it twice. Without forgetting that Holloway was fresh out of the first loss with direct elimination of his career.
Brookhouse: I would certainly love to see Poirier put an end to his story at the top, but this is so much the case with the price fights. In order not to go complete “MMA Math” with the choice, but the two respective projections of men against Justin Gathje are essential to their position at this time. While Poirier was flattened by a brutal kick, Holloway surpassed Gaethje before seeing him standing and exchanging, producing one of the most emblematic moments in the history of the UFC. The pace and precision of Holloway are always of first order, and it seems just that he is ready to finally have a victory over Poirier.
Mahjouri: Hollowy’s performance against Justin Gaethje has lit. It is not the same fighter Poirier Big Brraked in 2019. Holloway can fill a light frame while retaining the speed and the movement that made him a remarkable featherweight champion. Yes, he came out of his first direct elimination defeat, but I recognize him more in the power of Topuria than the deterioration of the Hollowy chin. It wouldn’t surprise me if Poirier sweeps the series, but something tells me that Holloway is a clearer touch these days.
Costa against Kopyl
Campbell: The former challenger of the explosive title has been extremely incoherent since his defeat in 2020 against Israel Adesanya and entered this co-printing showcase after losing four of his last five in the general classification. So, although this is understandable because of this to see Costa as the oppressed of the bets against Kopylov, who enters after having won six of his last seven, that does not tell the whole story. At 34, Costa remains dangerous at all times and has fought each of her three recent decision -making losses. The greatest thing holding Costa of the winning column was his increasingly rider approach to her game plan. Counterpuncher Natural, Costa focuses too much on swing for fences rather than rounds. But with the combination of him seriously needing a victory and Kopylov did not defeat the elite competition throughout his recent sequence, there is enough confidence to suggest that a great rebound for Costa is in order. If his behavior occasionally dislocated during the last press conference on Wednesday is an indication, because Costa spoke more of her current beef outside the cage with Khamzat Chimaev than the threat of Kopylov, this shows that the Costa credits is motivated to defend his place in the title.
Brookhouse: Kopylov did not exactly face a row of murderer during his 6-1 race since 2022, not that such a race is never easy in the octagon. Costa should provide much more resistance than these Kopylov opponents. It is a dangerous fight for the two men, but Costa is the man who needs victory and has more experience in high level competition. As long as Costa keeps her head on his shoulders and fights with his strength rather than looking for a wild fight, he has the tools to do it and win a very necessary victory.
Mahjouri: Kopylov’s game is evolving. The striking phenomenon developed its grappling after losing against Anthony Hernandez. This is enough to win me against Costa. “Borrachinha” is a talented striker, but his commitment to fight is questionable. Costa has experience, although it should be noted that he has not beat someone under 38 years since 2018. Kopylov improvements and relative young people are difference manufacturers.
Holland against Rodriguez
Campbell: Upon entering its fourth fight of 2025 (with ambitions announced to finish with seven) and its second in the last 42 days, Holland remains on the pace of remembering the Cerrone of Donald “Cowboy” of the time immediately after the end of the renown temple of the UFC. If it was the Holland, he would fight every weekend to support a lifestyle which he described as dear. And while Holland has made badly advised decisions in the past to accept difficult medium -term fighting in the short term, whatever the way it could turn on their current sequence as a bang candidate at Welterweight. Fortunately for the Dutch, he began his third consecutive fight at 170 pounds and led a sequence of victories of two fights with a feeling of renewed boastful. Even if Holland never shakes its “cowboy” paths, at 32, it remains difficult for anyone in the division. Rodriguez, at 38, has a sequence of victories with two fights, but is not as fresh as Holland in its current form. This should be fun and competitive with a Holland stop victory and not the issue.
Mahjouri: Holland did not seem so serious since its launch of Ronaldo Souza in 2020. Credit this to its Welter weight campaign hired after consecutive victories against Vicente Luque and Gunnar Nelson. Rodriguez is another competitor once praised in rebuild mode. “D-Rod” is an obstinate attacker, but does not have the good balanced to manage the various threats of Holland. Give me Holland by KO or submission.
Who wins the UFC 318: Holloway against Poirier 3, and how does the fight end exactly? Visit Sportsline now to obtain detailed choices and analyzes of the incomparable expert Which increased more than $ 21,000 during its UFC choices since May 19, 2018 and discover it.
