As UFC 318 casts its long shadow, all eyes converge on the highly anticipated lightweight trilogy bout between the BMF titleholder Max Holloway and the esteemed Dustin Poirier. This isn`t just another fight; it`s a decider, and for Dustin Poirier, it`s been billed as his final dance in the Octagon, a potential storybook ending to a legendary career. Yet, what makes this encounter particularly intriguing are the predictions emerging from the elite echelons of mixed martial arts.
Against the backdrop of Poirier’s 2-0 lead in their head-to-head series, two of the sport`s most astute minds, former UFC middleweight king Israel Adesanya and Alexander Volkanovski—a man who knows Holloway intimately from their own historic trilogy—are aligning on a surprising outcome: a knockout victory for Max Holloway.
Adesanya`s Blueprint for `Blessed` Victory
Israel Adesanya, known for his meticulous fight breakdowns, offers a tactical rationale for his bold prediction. He delves into Poirier`s tendencies under duress, a trait that could be exploited by Holloway`s relentless pace and evolving skill set.
“Dustin tends to when he gets tired, he reverts back to his old habits, which is flat-footedness,” Adesanya explained on his YouTube channel. “He throws without setting things up, sometimes. But he`s changed that. But again when he gets tired, Max doesn`t really get tired.”
Adesanya acknowledges that Poirier was able to outwork and even rock Holloway in their second encounter at UFC 236—a moment he vividly recalls as the first time he’d seen “Blessed” truly shaken. However, the narrative now shifts. Holloway, following a stunning knockout of Justin Gaethje at UFC 300 and a subsequent, albeit regrettable, knockout loss to Ilia Topuria at UFC 308 (which prompted his full-time move to lightweight), appears to be a revitalized and strategically sharper fighter.
The subtle irony here, of course, is that a fighter renowned for his seemingly impenetrable chin, the very chin that allowed him to absorb countless blows over his career, is now being advised to be “defensively sound.” Adesanya posits that while Max has “taken a lot of shots and the chin only holds up for so long,” the lightweight version of Holloway brings a different dynamic. He concludes with a definitive statement: “Lightweight Max, I still think can knock out Dustin Poirier, and this time could be different.”
The Rival`s Nod: Volkanovski Echoes the Prediction
Adding another layer of compelling intrigue to this narrative is the endorsement from Alexander Volkanovski. As Holloway`s most frequent and significant rival, Volkanovski`s perspective carries immense weight. Having spent 75 minutes inside the Octagon with Holloway across three grueling title fights, he possesses an unparalleled understanding of Holloway`s capabilities, resilience, and strategic evolution.
Volkanovski`s agreement with Adesanya`s assessment—that Holloway could indeed finish Poirier—only amplifies the potential for a dramatic twist in this already storied trilogy. It`s a rare moment when two competitors, one a former adversary, converge on such a specific and surprising outcome for a major main event.
High Stakes and Final Chapters
This clash isn`t merely about bragging rights or settling an old score; it’s about legacies. For Dustin Poirier, UFC 318 is intended as his swansong, a final opportunity to cap a storied career that has seen him challenge for gold multiple times and defeat a slew of legends. To retire with a victory over a rival like Holloway would be the ultimate poetic ending.
For Max Holloway, it`s a chance to rewrite history, avenge past losses, and solidify his claim as a legitimate threat in the lightweight division. His sensational knockout of Justin Gaethje proved his power translates to the heavier weight class. A similar knockout here, as predicted by these martial arts savants, would not only etch Holloway`s name deeper into the annals of UFC lore but also potentially propel him towards a highly anticipated rematch with lightweight king Ilia Topuria, setting up another colossal title clash.
Anticipation Builds for a Definitive End
As the countdown to UFC 318 begins, the collective gaze of the MMA world is fixed on this pivotal main event. Will Dustin Poirier pen his perfect retirement story, or will Max Holloway deliver the shocking knockout that two of the sport`s sharpest minds foresee? The answers lie just hours away, promising a conclusion worthy of this epic rivalry and perhaps, the unexpected.
Gareth Pendleton