Key pointsHow to watch UFC 318 in Europe View post How to watch UFC 318 in the United States on ESPN PPV View post Dustin Poirier finally says goodbye to the octagon after almost two decades tonight as he bows out in a true battle of legends.
The former interim lightweight champion has long been one of the most beloved fighters in the UFC, and he has decided that the time has come to hang up his gloves. He is going to give fans one last war as he faces ‘BMF’ champion Max Holloway for the third time in their storied careers.
Their first meeting was back in Holloway’s early octagon career when he was just 20-years-old, with their second coming six years later for the interim lightweight belt. It was the highlight of Poirier’s career, and one of the low points for the Hawaiian who lost a lengthy winning streak.
This card is particularly top-heavy, with the rest of the fights making for a limited pay-per-view offering. Paulo Costa takes on Roman Kopylov in the co-main event, while the rest of the event is made up of fights that promise excitement, if not divisional relevance.
Bellator legend Patricio Pitbull faces Dan Ige, while Kevin Holland continues his welterweight run against the late-notice Daniel Rodriguez. Poirier’s old foe Michael Johnson also features against the surging Daniel Zellhuber.
Stay up to date with all the UFC 318 action on the Bloody Elbow live blog.
Sun 20th – 03:03Donagh Corby
Dana White’s full press conference
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Sun 20th – 01:50Donagh Corby
Dustin Poirier’s final fight[Link]
Sun 20th – 01:34Donagh Corby
Conor McGregor can’t help himself!We love a good scrapper in the company and them two boys are just that! Scrappers!
Awesome stuff! Great fight lads, bravo!
R.I.Pea head! 🙏 @ufc
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) July 20, 2025 View Tweet
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Sun 20th – 01:26Donagh Corby
Poignant post-fight speech from PoirierAnd now the gloves are off as he sets them on the canvas for one final time.
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Sun 20th – 01:21Donagh Corby
Poirier being shown an emotional retirement video package nowPrepare for tears – and that’s just anyone watching!
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Sun 20th – 01:16Donagh Corby
Max Holloway defeats Dustin Poirier by Unanimous DecisionHard fight to score for either man, but Hollowa gets the result and leaves with the BMF title. 48-47 and 49-46×2 for the defending champion, who spoils the party in New Orleans
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Sun 20th – 01:10Donagh Corby
Dustin Poirier vs Max Holloway – Round 5Volume from Holloway, bigger shots and pressure from Poirier. It’s the story of their 11 rounds to this point and it continues here. Holloway pokes Poirier in the eye, imagine the scenes if that stoppage went any longer. Huge body kick for the BMF champion, answered by a left hand. Two rights for Holloway. They agree to trade hell for leather in the final ten seconds and Holloway hurts Poirier, who holds on for life and sees the final bell in his last fight!
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Sun 20th – 01:08Donagh Corby
The final round of Dustin Poirier’s careerAfter everything he’s been through, it’s time for Dustin Poirier to hang up his gloves. One more round to go.
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Sun 20th – 01:03Donagh Corby
Dustin Poirier vs Max Holloway – Round 4Poirier lands early with a left hand in the fourth. Poirier moving through the gears now, he has Max cut and lands a solid combination as we hit the halfway point of the penultimate round of Poirier’s career. Body kick from Holloway caught and Poirier hits him with an uppercut. Wow, 141 significant strikes from Holloway, 85 from Poirier. Volume in favor of the Hawaiian, but the bigger shots seem to have come from the hometown fighter.
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Sun 20th – 01:00Donagh Corby
Dustin Poirier vs Max Holloway – Round 3Poirier flies out of the traps as a more timid Holloway emerges, still slightly wounded, from his corner. But soon they’re back to trading, just as they have for many rounds before this. Brief stoppage called by the ref for fingers near the eye but it’s quickly back into the action and Poirier lands big at the end, maybe stealing this round. Very good fight as we head to the championship rounds.
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Sun 20th – 00:51Donagh Corby
Dustin Poirier vs Max Holloway – Round 2If Poirier was concerned about the sport leaving him, thus far it appears that he may be correct about that. Even just in the few minutes we’ve seen, he has been hit with big shots by Holloway that you’d imagine would be goodnight if coming from the likes of Ilia Topuria. DOWN GOES POIRIER AGAIN! BIG UPPERCUT FROM HOLLOWAY WHICH HE FOLLOWS UP AND DROPS HIS RIVAL. Poirier gets up and excites the crowd with some big shots to close out the round. AND NOW HOLLOWAY IS DOWN! POIRIER GOES FOR THE GUILLOTINE AND WE HAVE A FIGHT AFTER TWO ROUNDS!
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Sun 20th – 00:45Donagh Corby
Dustin Poirier vs Max Holloway – Round 1Poirier throws big early and lands, testing the chin of Holloway in his first fight since being knocked out by Ilia Topuria last October. Good back-and-forth throughout the round, HOLLOWAY PUTS POIRIER DOWN WITH A RIGHT HAND! Poirier recovers well, solid round.
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Sun 20th – 00:40Donagh Corby
Here comes Max HollowayHe’s too beloved to be roundly booed, but he’s happily played the heel role this week in New Orleans!
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Sun 20th – 00:35Donagh Corby
One last walk for Dustin Poirier[Link]
Sun 20th – 00:33Donagh Corby
Dustin Poirier makes the walkHere he is, the pride of Lafayette, Louisiana! What a moment for a legend of MMA.
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Sun 20th – 00:25Donagh Corby
Time for Dustin Poirier’s last dance!Poirier v Holloway 3 for the BMF title is next!
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Sun 20th – 00:23Donagh Corby
Paulo Costa defeats Roman Kopylov by Unanimous DecisionBack in the win column for Costa and he immediately calls out Khamzat Chimaev, who he brands a coward!
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Sun 20th – 00:19Donagh Corby
Paulo Costa dominant in the striking stats thus farThe Brazilian looking his best in years as he outstrikes Kopylov in all three rounds. He should win 30-27 across the board!
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Sun 20th – 00:02Donagh Corby
Co-Main Event timePaulo Costa vs Roman Kopylov is your co-main event for tonight’s pay-per-view. Yes, that is a sentence I have written in 2025.
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Sat 19th – 23:51Donagh Corby
Daniel Rodriguez defeats Kevin Holland by Unanimous DecisionMassive win for D-Rod, maybe the biggest of his career to date as he now is probably back in the rankings at welterrweight
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Sat 19th – 23:48Donagh Corby
Kevin Holland springs back into lifeHolland lands a big knee of his own as he sends Rodriguez stumbling! Can he do enough to turn this fight around?
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Sat 19th – 23:35Donagh Corby
D-Rod puts Kevin Holland down!One of those wild big punches from Rodriguez drops Holland as he pushes for the finish. Lets Holland up and he sends him down for a second time! This is beautiful.
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Sat 19th – 23:27Donagh Corby
Here comes Kevin HollandHe takes on Daniel Rodriguez in a rearranged showdown from 2022.
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Sat 19th – 23:25Donagh Corby
Patricio Pitbull has a win in the UFC! Unanimous Decision with 29-28 across the board in yet another flat showing over Dan Ige.
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Sat 19th – 22:48Donagh Corby
Patricio Pitbull vs Dan Ige up nextSurely this can’t go all three? Two men who love a fi
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Sat 19th – 22:43Donagh Corby
Michae Johnson defeats Daniel Zellhuber by Unanimous DecisionThat’s a brilliant victory for Johnson, who continues scoring wins and is now after going three on the bounce. Very impressive!
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Sat 19th – 22:40Donagh Corby
Another decision!I messaged our editor Jordan Ellis during the Prado fight talking about a ‘night of finishes’ and ‘breaking the record from 2104’. We haven’t had one stoppage since. as Michael Johnson gets another three-rounders.
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Sat 19th – 22:35Donagh Corby
The main event is in the building![Link]
Sat 19th – 22:31Donagh Corby
Johnson drops Zellhuber!Straight left off the counter sends Zellhuber to the ground! What a showing from the elder fighter.
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Sat 19th – 22:19Donagh Corby
Michael Johnson vs Daniel Zellhuber up firstWe kick off with a youth v experience matchup at lightweight.
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Sat 19th – 22:07Donagh Corby
Where is Joe Rogan?[Link]
Sat 19th – 22:05Donagh Corby
We head to the pay-per-view portion of tonight’s cardKicking off with Poirier’s old pal Michael Johnson!
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Sat 19th – 22:01Donagh Corby
Vinicius Oliveira defeats Kyler Phillips by Unanimous Decision29-28 across the board. The Brazilian wins again. For a three-rounder, that was exciting again.
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Sat 19th – 21:59Donagh Corby
Kyler Phillips and Vinicius Oliveira go the distanceIt must be impossible to deal with Oliveira’s volume and awkwardness. What a fighter. He should win this one 30-27.
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Sat 19th – 21:42Donagh Corby
Kyler Phillips vs Vinicius Oliveira is nextAlright, enough decisions. Let’s see a big bantamweight finish!
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Sat 19th – 21:28Donagh Corby
Brendan Allen defeats Marvin Vettori by Unanimous Decision30-27 x 2 and 29-28 as Allen wins. That seems very harsh on Vettori. Not to say that he won, but not one round?
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Sat 19th – 21:23Donagh Corby
Marvin Vettori and Brendan Allen GO THE DISTANCEUnbelievable fight. Yes they go to decision as expected, but what a war. That third round might be one of my rounds of the year!
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Sat 19th – 21:20Donagh Corby
Marvin Vettori and Brendan Allen going to WARWe are into the second round of Vettori vs Allen, which everyone expected to go the distance. But both men are really going for that finish.
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Sat 19th – 20:57Donagh Corby
Nikolay Veretennikov beats Francisco Prado by Split Decision29-28 on two cards for Veretennikov and one for Prado. He celebrates in a big way, but he won’t be thrilled watching that one back!
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Sat 19th – 20:55Donagh Corby
A fight went the distance!Francisco Prado and Nikolay Veretennikov slog to an exhausted decision. I have no idea how to score that.
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Sat 19th – 20:49Donagh Corby
We head to the thirdBoth men are completely shattered. Does either one have a finish in them? I hope so, I want Luke Rockhold and Michael Bisping’s 2014 record shattered tonight!
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Sat 19th – 20:44Donagh Corby
Veretennikov drops PradoWithin seconds of that knockdown they clinch against the cage and this crowd boos. You got five first round KOs, allow these fellas to work a bit!
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Sat 19th – 20:42Donagh Corby
We have a second round!For the second time tonight we head to round two! Brilliant back-and-forth from both men in the first. This is such an exciting fight, despite the fans booing.
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Sat 19th – 20:38Donagh Corby
Veretennikov is on his backPrado immediately gets his rival down, and if it stays like this we might see the second round for just the second time tonight!
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Sat 19th – 20:33Donagh Corby
Francisco Prado vs Nikolay Veretennikov is our next fightAnother first round stoppage incoming?
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Sat 19th – 20:16Donagh Corby
Ateba Gautier knocks out Robert ValentinYet another first round stoppage! We haven’t been out of the first round since the night’s opener, which was a third round submission! Gautier wins by knockout. Huge!
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Sat 19th – 20:15Donagh Corby
Ateba Gautier vs Robert ValentinWill we get another stoppage?
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Sat 19th – 20:07Donagh Corby
The Fight Pass Prelims are overTime for UFC 318
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Sat 19th – 19:43Donagh Corby
The mullet men celebrate a big win![Link]
Sat 19th – 19:42Donagh Corby
ISLAM DULATOV KNOCKS OUT ADAM FUGITT IN ROUND ONEHuge check left hook drops him and two more shots finish the fight, that’s the perfect UFC debut. What a show thus far!
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Sat 19th – 19:41Donagh Corby
Adam Fugitt vs Islam Dulatov up nextThe pretty boy Dulatov looking for yet another win.
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Sat 19th – 19:15Donagh Corby
JIMMY CRUTE WITH THE FIRST ROUND SUB!WE ARE FOUR FOR FOUR! JIMMY CRUTE GETS HIS FIRST WIN SINCE 2020 AND IT COMES IN ROUND ONE!
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Sat 19th – 19:09Donagh Corby
Jimmy Crute vs Marcin Prachnio our next outingLight-heavyweight action. Are we about to go four for four on stoppages?
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Sat 19th – 18:56Donagh Corby
ANOTHER STOPPAGERyan Spann taps out Brzeski in the first round. Took him down with a quick double leg, almost had an arm triangle and eventually gets the guillotine.
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Sat 19th – 18:53Donagh Corby
Ryan Spann vs Lukasz Brzeski our next prelimNo rest for the fight fans tonight, we go straight into our third prelim fight!
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Sat 19th – 18:39Donagh Corby
BRUNO FERREIRA TAPS OUT JACKSON MCVEYThe winning streak comes to an end inside the first round! 3:35 is the official time!
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Sat 19th – 18:37Donagh Corby
Bruno Ferreira vs Jackson McVey up nextUndefeated McVey vs the Brazilian veteran Ferreira!
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Sat 19th – 18:22Donagh Corby
CARLI JUDICE KOs NICOLLE CALIARI IN ROUND TWOHUGE KNEE FROM JUDICE!
The Louisiana crowd get a knockout win from the home fighter to start the night, a sign of things to come?
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Sat 19th – 18:17Donagh Corby
Wholesome Max Holloway and Dustin Poirier moment[Link]
Sat 19th – 18:07Donagh Corby
We get underway at flyweightNicolle Caliari vs Carli Judice, the latter coming from Louisiana, kicks us off for the night in New Orleans.
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Sat 19th – 17:45Donagh Corby
How to watch UFC 318 in Europe[Link]
Sat 19th – 17:45Donagh Corby
How to watch UFC 318 in the United States on ESPN PPV[Link]
Sat 19th – 17:43Donagh Corby
Welcome to the UFC 318 live blogGood evening and welcome to the live blog for UFC 318 from New Orleans, Louisiana. Dustin Poirier is hanging up the gloves, but not before giving us one final war against his old foe Max Holloway. We’ll have live updates from the show throughout the night for you.
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