Dustin Poirier has never faced a significant fight without support by his side. The Louisiana native, closely associated with the five-time Grammy-winning rapper Lil Wayne, is set for his retirement bout against Max Holloway at UFC 318. Poirier will step into the octagon for the last time on July 19th in his hometown of Lafayette. He openly expressed his desire to have Lil Wayne accompany him to the fight at the Smoothie King Center. Poirier is currently coordinating with Wayne’s team, and Wayne has confirmed plans to attend the event.
Poirier mentioned in an interview that Mac Maine, a long-time associate and business partner of Lil Wayne, assured him of Wayne’s presence. Notably, Mac Maine has been the president of Wayne’s Young Money Entertainment Record label since 2009.
At UFC 318, Poirier will once again face a familiar opponent. He and Holloway first clashed in 2012, where Poirier secured a submission victory over Holloway in his debut UFC fight. Poirier aims to reclaim the BMF title he lost to Justin Gaethje. Reflecting on his journey, Poirier said, “I’m going to retire in Louisiana, where everything began for me. Max is a legend, and I couldn’t think of a better person to fight in my final UFC battle. He was my first UFC opponent, and he will be my last.”
Fan Take: This matchup is more than just a fight; it’s a symbolic passing of the torch in the lightweight division. For fight fans, Poirier’s retirement bout highlights the deep connections and history within the sport, making UFC 318 a must-watch event that marks the end of an era.
