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'One of the greatest': Dustin Poirier's UFC 318 retirement prompts sea of tributes from MMA's best

Dustin Poirier may not have gone out on top, but he retired a legend nonetheless. The former UFC interim lightweight champion — and all-time great action fighter — called it a career on Saturday night after falling short in his Louisiana homecoming against Max Holloway in the main event of UFC 318.

Despite coming into the bout up 2-0 in his series with Holloway, Poirier closed out his UFC run with a unanimous decision loss (48-47, 49-46, 49-46) in another back-and-forth brawl that nevertheless served as a worthy and emotional sendoff for the longtime fan favorite.

Poirier, 36, hangs up his gloves as one of the most celebrated fighters of his era. Despite never capturing an undisputed UFC title, “The Diamond” strung together a Hall of Fame résumé over the course of a 14-year Octagon career, defeating a legendary list of top fighters across two divisions. Poirier’s catalog of conquests include Conor McGregor (x2), Eddie Alvarez, Justin Gaethje, Anthony Pettis and Dan Hooker, among many others. 

He also exits the sport tied for the fourth-most post-fight bonuses in UFC history (15), tied for the fifth-most finishes in UFC history (15), tied for most the finishes of current/former/future UFC champions (6), and tied for the sixth-most wins in UFC history (22) — a slew of records that speak to his uncommon longevity atop the game’s most talent-rich divisions.

Following his emotional farewell, a wave of Poirier’s peers within the fighting community paid tribute to “The Diamond” and the vast body of work he contributed to the game.

For full coverage of UFC 318, including live results, play-by-play and highlights of the entire Dustin Poirier vs. Max Holloway 3 pay-per-view card, check out Uncrowned’s UFC 318 hub.

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