Exciting Lightweight Star Will Have Event Dedicated To Him

“Dustin Poirier is a big star for us”, Dana White began in his comments on Poirier.  “He’s accomplished a lot in the sport. This is for him, to be honest with you. This is for him. He wanted to have his last fight and end his career in New Orleans, so here we are.”

The UFC CEO took time to talk about Dustin Poirier’s longevity as a ranked fighter.

“He’s ranked No. 5 in the world right now in the lightweight division,” he said. “He’s a guy who’s held his position in the top 10 for a very long time. He’s achieved a lot. He’s one of the all-time greats. Thousands of people have fought in the UFC. I don’t know where I could rank him, but he’s one of the all-time greats.”

Dustin Poirier Says UFC 318 Will Be Last Fight and Updates Fans on Family

A professional competitor since 2009, Poirier’s departure from cage fighting comes after a career packed to the brim with numerous accolades and high-profile moments, such as his capturing of the interim lightweight strap and his thrilling saga with Conor McGregor. While he may never have claimed unsupported gold, he has nonetheless garnered a bevy of fantastic wins over a murderer’s row of 155-lb titans like Anthony Pettis, Justin Gaethje, Eddie Alvarez and Michael Chandler.

At 36 years old, however, Dustin Poirier has made the decision to call time on his magnificent journey in the sport, and though retirements in mixed martial arts tend not to last very long, “The Diamond” has made it clear that his confrontation with Holloway at UFC 318 will be his final match as a competitor. In a recent interview with Full Violence, Poirier announced that his retirement will be final, along with announcing that he is expecting another child, meaning he will be needed at home more than ever.

“This is the last one. 19 years in, man. Had my first cage fight in 2007… my wife’s pregnant right now… my wife’s pregnant with a boy. So there’s a lot going on, man,” Dustin Poirier said.

Prior to the event being finalized, Dustin Poirier publicly voiced his desire to fight his last contest in front of his home state of Louisiana. He will receive his wish, as UFC 318 will be taking place at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, meaning the lightweight icon of the Bayou State will have the chance to collect another major win in the presence of his statesmen.