Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has returned to New Orleans for the first time in more than a decade, with its UFC 318 set to be headlined by the highly anticipated bout between Dustin Poirier and Max Holloway for the BMF title. Being hosted at the Smoothie King Center on Saturday, the event sees Holloway defending his BMF title, while Poirier looks ahead to bring the curtain down on his magnificent career with a win, BBC reported.
Final chapter for ‘The Diamond’
According to USA Today, Poirier (30-9) has hinted heavily at retirement throughout 2024, with his emotional remarks during the NFL Draft sparking speculation.
The bout, the 35th of Poirier's professional career, is taking place in his home state of Louisiana. He is expected to walk alongside Lil Wayne in New Orleans for his his final PPV event, CBS Sports reported.
Poirier is entering with a psychological edge since he has defeated Holloway (26-8) twice already: first via submission in 2012 and again by unanimous decision in a 2019 interim title bout.
Holloway to defend BMF status
Former featherweight champion Max Holloway will be entering the bout defending his BMF crown: a title he claimed after a stunning Knockout of the Year victory over Justin Gaethje earlier this year.
{{/usCountry}}Former featherweight champion Max Holloway will be entering the bout defending his BMF crown: a title he claimed after a stunning Knockout of the Year victory over Justin Gaethje earlier this year.
{{/usCountry}}Poirier, on the other hand, is seeking redemption after losing to Gaethje in his previous bout, which originally saw the vacant BMF belt awarded.
Full UFC 318 fight card and odds
The main card starts at 10 PM ET, and all eyes will be on the BMF Title fight. Champ Holloway is a slight fave at -130 against Dustin Poirier, the former interim lightweight champ, who is coming in at +110.
Also, Roman Kopylov (-240) will fight Paulo Costa (+200) in what should be a crazy middleweight contest. Plus, Kevin Holland (-450) hopes to keep his wins going against Daniel Rodriguez (+360).
Fans of UFC are expecting a blast in the featherweights bout between Dan Ige (-210) and Patricio Pitbull (+175).
Keep an eye on Daniel Zellhuber (-550), a lightweight to watch, as he takes on veteran Michael Johnson (+400) – the bout holds the potential to be a sleeper hit.
The prelims start at 8 PM ET, with a mix of new blood and experienced fighters. Vinicius Oliveira (-165) fights Kyler Phillips (+140), and Brendan Allen (-205) meets Marvin Vettori (+170) in a big middleweight match. Francisco Prado (-140) will face Nikolay Veretennikov (+120), while Ateba Gautier (-550) is up against Robert Valentin (+400).
Early prelims start at 6 PM ET on ESPN2, Disney+, and ESPN+. The lineup features Islam Dulatov (-600) squaring off against Adam Fugitt (+430), Jimmy Crute (-280) taking on Marcin Prachnio (+230), and Ryan Spann (-220) taking on Lukasz Brzeski (+180). To round out the early card, Brunno Ferreira (-700) will meet Jackson McVey (+500), and Carli Judice (-300) is set to face Nicolle Caliari (+240) in the women’s flyweight division.
UFC 318: When and where to watch?
The main card event will be held on July 19, 2025, at Smoothie King Center, New Orleans, in Louisiana, at 10 pm ET. The prelims will be broadcast on ESPN and ESPN 2. Early prelims can be watched on ESPN+ and Disney+, while the main card event will be available on ESPN+ PPV.
FAQs
What time does UFC 318 start tonight?
The event starts at 6 pm ET.
Who is fighting in UFC 318?
Max Holloway, Dustin Poirier, Paulo Costa, and Roman Kopylov are some of the fighters taking part in the event.
What network is UFC Fight Night on tonight?
The ESPN network will air the UFC Fight Night
Where can I watch Poirier vs. Holloway?
The match will be available at ESPN+ PPV.