Max Holloway retained his BMF title tonight at UFC 318 after a thrilling five-round war with Dustin Poirier, who now hangs up his gloves for good.
Round One
The main event ‘BMF’ title showdown is underway in New Orleans!
Nice left hand lands for Poirier. Oblique kick from Holloway. Now an inside leg kick and then back to the oblique kick.
Body jab from Holloway. Inside leg kick for Poirier. Body kick for Holloway. Punch for Poirier and a body kick from Holloway.
Another body kick for Holloway. Poirier stepping into a punch as Holloway lands a low kick.
Big straight from Holloway floors Poirier! Holloway follows him looking for a finish. He has him hurt, but he can’t get the finish for now as Poirier battles back to his feet.
Poirier quickly regaining his senses here and now he pieces together a nice forward-pressing combination.
Body kick for Holloway. Now a right hand. Spinning kick misses. Glancing right hand from Holloway. He lands a right hook. left hand gets through for Holloway as he unleashes another flurry.
A couple of punches from Poirier come off the guard. Low kick for Poirier. Holloway punches to the body but his follow-ups to the head don’t get through.
Jab for Poirier. Body punch for Holloway. Now a body kick. Holloway sliding away from Poirier’s punches.
Round Two
Holloway with a body punch. Now he fires off upstairs. Missed kick from Poirier. Holloway with a flurry of punches. Punch for Poirier.
Body kick for Holloway. Now he punches to the body. Right hand and a knee behind it from Poirier. Another kick lands for Holloway to the body.
Poirier steps into a jab, but then eats a right hand counter from Holloway. Body punch for Holloway. Jab lands for Poirier. Three-piece lands clean for Holloway and wobbles Poirier.
Holloway follows him and unleashes a big combination. Poirier in survival mode now as the fight spills onto the mat, with Holloway getting on top.
Holloway in half-guard here and mashing his elbow into Poirier’s face. Holloway stands over Poirier and has to avoid an upkick, then tries to go down again. In the end they both get back to the feet.
Poirier with a nice combination now. Solid jab for Poirier. Right hand for Poirier floors Holloway! Poirier pounces on a guillotine choke late in the round. Holloway just about managing to defend that attempt, but still looks dazed as he gets back to his corner inbetween rounds.
Round Three
Body kick for Holloway. Low kick from Poirier. Oblique kick for Holloway. Jab for Poirier. Inside leg kick from Poirier.
Counter-left from Holloway. Now a good counter-right from him as Poirier comes in again. Body punch for Holloway.
Body kick for Holloway. He lands another as Poirier was looking for a jab. Poirier with a clean jab. He lands it again. Oblique kick from HOlloway.
Power left from Poirier. Spinning body kick from Holloway lands. Another body kick for Blessed. Glancing right hook from Holloway.
Solid jab from Poirier. Good one-two for Holloway. Grazing left hook for Poirier then a harder one-two. Jab for Poirier.
Another jab for Poirier. Hard right hand and then a fast flurry of left and rights behind it. Back to the body kick. Another kick to the body.
Jab for Holloway and then a punch to the body. Hard punch lands for Poirier as Holloway was looking for a kick.
Combo from Holloway. Good punch from Poirier and a jab behind it, and he seems happy with that work late in the round, motioning to Holloway.
Round Four
Left hand for Poirier. Body punch from Holloway. Reaching right hand for Holloway. He lands another. Holloway doubles up on the jab and follows up with the right.
Jab for Poirier. Another jab for him and a counter comes from Holloway. Oblique kick for Holloway and a low kick from Poirier.
Jab for Holloway. Poirier short on a punch and Holloway returns fire with a combination. Now Poirier responds with a nice flurry.
Poirier now coming forward with confidence, landing a few punches. Holloway with a slick combo mostly to the body.
Jab for Poirier. Jab and right from Holloway. Step-in body punch from Holloway. He lands a good right. Body kick is caught by Poirier.
Jab again from Poirier. Good hook from Holloway at the end of another flurry. Hard punch lands for Poirier. They are trading back and forth now.
Ripping body shot from Holloway after a swing and a miss from Poirier. Missed punch from Poirier and a fast combo in response from Holloway.
Poirier lands nicely now. Holloway picks out a nice body punch again. Spinning body kick from Holloway. Poirier pauses for a moment and then presses forward to land well at the end of the round.
Round Five
Holloway punches to the body and head. Left hand from Holloway and a knee to the body from Poirier.
One-two from Holloway glances the target. Straight left from Holloway. Hook for Holloway. Jab from Blessed. Now a right hand gets through. The Diamond with a flurry.
Poirier steps into a good punch. Holloway resets and then lands to the body. Good body punch. Poirier lands a solid right hand.
Punch for Poirier, body work from Holloway. Solid jab for Poirier and Holloway lands on the counter.
Half the round remaining as Holloway lands to the body again. Body kick for Holloway off a punch. Poirier jabs. Holloway to the body. Now a right hand for Holloway.
Body punches for Holloway. Good left for Poirier. Body kick for Holloway. Accidental eyepoke but Poirier quickly shakes it off and gets back to it.
90 seconds to go. Left hand for Poirier. He finds a home or that again. Body kick for Holloway. Solid punch from Holloway backs up Poirier and then another.
Poirier with a big punch now. Final minute. Holloway to the body. Double-jab from Poirier. Good left hands and a right from Holloway.
Holloway goes back and forth then lands a left hand. Double jab for Poirier and tries a knee.
Holloway points to the mat as they approach the final 10 seconds! Poirier pauses for a moment then they get to it. Holloway steps in and rips to the body with a combination. Poirier catches him with a counter. Holloway wades forward behind a high-volume combination and Poirier clinches up. We’re headed to the scorecards!
Decision
A fight that lived up to the hype then with both men giving their all until the end, while having to battle through tough moments to make it there. In the end there can only be one winner though and it’s Holloway who finally avenges his previous two defeats to Poirier by winning by unanimous decision (48-47, 49-46 x2).
And that marks the end of a great career for Poirier, who might not have had the perfect finale he was hoping for with a belt around his waist, but still did himself proud by delivering yet another memorable scrap for the archives and he’s given a great send-off from the UFC and the fans afterwards.
