UFC - UFC #318
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by Stephen Abiola | in UFC Picks
Max Holloway (26-8-0) and Dustin Poirier (30-9-0) will meet for the third time in their UFC careers on Saturday night at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans. Max “Blessed” Holloway has been with the franchise since 2012, boasting the highest wins (20), finishes (11), and KOs (9) in the featherweight division. But despite his colorful career, he has failed to defeat Poirier in their two meetings, including a title fight. Note that Holloway is the No. 1-ranked fighter in the division.
Dustin Poirier, on the other hand, wouldn’t ask for a better retirement fight than clinching the UFC BMF title against his old nemesis. He got the chance to welcome Holloway to the franchise in February 2011, winning via submission in the first round. The 36-year-old will bow out with a lot of fight left inside him, ranking fifth in the official UFC lightweight category. Some fans believe “The Diamond” could ask for a title match if he wins on Saturday.
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Holloway - Poirier 3: Form Analysis
Born in December 1991, Max Holloway is an American fighter from Oahu, Hawaii, United States. He has been with the franchise for over a decade, winning his first gold in December 2016 against Anthony Pettis at UFC 199. He defended his title successfully thrice, twice against Aldo and once against Ortega, before losing it in 2019 to Poirier. The native Hawaiian is considered one of the greatest featherweights ever and ranked 11th in the men’s pound-for-pound category.
Dustin Poirier, meanwhile, is the older and more experienced fighter. Born in January 1989, Poirier is a decorated name in the lightweight division, where he became the Interim UFC Lightweight Champion and challenged for the title three times. Porier has a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu, although he mostly uses his striking efficiency to finish his opponents. He also boasts exceptional boxing skills, which he showcased against top opponents like Conor McGregor and Justin Gaethje. Poirier joined the UFC in October 2010, losing his first fight against Danny Castillo.
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Holloway & Poirier 3 Squad Analysis
Holloway will be keen to avoid another defeat against this familiar rival. He has failed to defeat “The Diamond” twice, losing via submission in round five at UFC 236 in April 2019. However, bookmakers are backing him to get the job done this time around. Holloway is the -148 favorite to outlast Poirier. He comes into this fight in great shape, although he didn’t look convincing against Ilia Topuria in October last year, when he lost via a KO punch. This loss ultimately ended his three-fight winning run.
As for Poirier, he has nothing to prove after fighting some of the best in the franchise. He picked up wins against Pettis, Gaethje, and Alvarez to earn a title shot against Holloway in 2019, which he didn’t disappoint. He went on to lose the title to Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 242 before bouncing back with a win against Hooker and McGregor (twice) to get another title shot. However, he lost the fight to Oliveira and is 2-2 in his last four fights. His 2-0 record against Holloway should give him the bragging rights regardless of how this fight ends.
Holloway - Poirier 3 Key Points
- Poirier lost three of his last five UFC fights.
- The total rounds went over 2.5 in three of the last five Poirier fights.
- Holloway won three of his last four UFC fights.
- Holloway won via decision in four of his last six wins.
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Our Holloway vs Poirier 3 Prediction
This will be an exciting bout between two experienced fighters. Both are highly durable inside the Octagon and will likely take this matchup into the later rounds. Poirier is experienced against top opponents and will have the advantage of fighting at home. However, he announced that he will hang up his boots after this scrap. Therefore, we don’t expect him to throw everything into this fight and go out with a win. He has also shown signs of weakness lately, with the KO loss to Gaethje, who Holloway defeated via KO, being a red flag. Holloway should finally get his sweet revenge against Poirier at UFC 318.
Our prediction for Max Holloway vs Dustin Poirier: Max Holloway to win via decision.
Holloway vs Poirier 3 - Other Interesting Picks
Fight to go the distance.
Poirier might be ready for retirement, but he’s arguably the better all-around fighter. He will be under pressure from the home fans to deliver victory one last time, and can give Holloway a serious battle if he fights to his strengths. However, Holloway’s output and striking prowess should see him win this bout. Our secondary prediction is for this fight to go the distance.
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