Dustin Poirier is set to face Max Holloway for the third and final time in their UFC trilogy at UFC 318 this Saturday. Poirier, accompanied by rapper Lil Wayne in his hometown of Louisiana, is stepping into the ring for what could be his last fight. This bout sees Holloway moving up permanently to the lightweight division to defend the BMF Championship. Poirier currently holds a 2-0 record against Holloway, having submitted him in their 2012 fight, which was Holloway’s early UFC debut, and later winning by unanimous decision in 2019 while Holloway was the featherweight champion, claiming the interim lightweight title in the process.
Following this, UFC 319 will take place on August 16th featuring a thrilling middleweight title fight where champion Dricus du Plessis will defend his belt against the rising force Khamzat Chimaev. The card also includes an exciting middleweight showdown between Jared Cannonier and Michael “Venom” Page.
The schedule for upcoming UFC events in 2025 includes:
– UFC 318 on July 19th in New Orleans: Max Holloway vs. Dustin Poirier 3 (Lightweight) – ESPN+ PPV
– UFC Fight Night on July 26th in Abu Dhabi: Robert Whitaker vs. Reinier de Ridder (Middleweight) – ESPN+
– UFC Fight Night on August 2nd in Las Vegas: Amir Albazi vs. Tatsuro Taira (Flyweight) – ESPN+
– UFC Fight Night on August 9th in Las Vegas: Roman Driše vs Anthony Hernandez (Middleweight) – ESPN+
– UFC 319 on August 16th in Chicago: Dricus du Plessis (c) vs. Khamzat Chimaev (Middleweight title) – ESPN+ PPV
– UFC Fight Night on August 23rd in Shanghai: Johnny Walker vs. Zhang Mingyang (Light Heavyweight) – ESPN+
– UFC Fight Night on September 6th in Paris: Nassoldeen Imavov vs. Caio Borralho (Middleweight) – ESPN+
– UFC Fight Night on September 13th in San Antonio, Texas: Diego Lopez vs. Jean Silva (Featherweight) – ESPN+
– UFC 320 on October 4th in Las Vegas: TBA – ESPN+ PPV
– UFC Fight Night on October 18th in Vancouver: TBA – ESPN+
– UFC 321 on October 25th in Abu Dhabi: TBA – ESPN+ PPV
– UFC Fight Night on November 22nd in Doha, Qatar: TBA – ESPN+
Fan Take: This highly anticipated trilogy fight highlights the evolution of both Poirier and Holloway, with Poirier looking to cap his UFC career on a high note and Holloway adjusting to a new weight class. For fight fans, this matchup is not just about legacy but also signals important shifts in UFC divisions that could shape the sport’s competitive landscape for years to come.