UFC 318 took place on Saturday at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, marking the return of the octagon to Louisiana after over a decade.
The event was highlighted by the retirement fight of Dustin Poirier (30-10 MMA, 22-9 UFC), who exited the sport following a unanimous decision loss to BMF champion Max Holloway (27-8 MMA, 23-8 UFC). Both fighters showcased their expertise and competitive spirit during the match.
Event Statistics
The total payout in compliance with UFC promotional guidelines for this event was $289,500. Brendan Allen, Marvin Vettori, Ateba Gautier, Islam Dulatov, and Carli Judice each received $50,000 in fight-night bonuses.
UFC 318 registered an attendance of 18,138, resulting in a live gate of $8,088,122. Betting favorites finished the event with a record of 9-5, contributing to a 15-9 record for the year in UFC main events. The total fight time across 14 bouts was 2:37:50.
Fight Highlights
With this win, Holloway became the first fighter in UFC history to successfully defend the BMF title, improving his lightweight record to 2-1. His total fight time of 8:27:43 in UFC competitions ranks second all-time, just behind Rafael dos Anjos.
Holloway’s 23 wins in the UFC are tied for second-most in history, while he holds the record for the most significant strikes landed (3,655) and total strikes (3,907). Following his loss, Poirier announced his retirement and holds a record of 14-6 (with one no contest) since transitioning to the lightweight division in April 2015.
Other Notable Fights
In other matchups, Paulo Costa (15-4 MMA, 7-4 UFC) continued his streak of decision victories, while Daniel Rodriguez (20-5 MMA, 10-4 UFC) secured six of his ten UFC wins by decision. Notably, Holloway was knocked down for the first time in his 28-fight UFC career.
Brendan Allen’s victory over Marvin Vettori (19-9-1 MMA, 9-7-1 UFC) marked Vettori’s longest losing streak, as he has not won since March 2023. The event concluded with several fighters earning their first victories or continuing streaks, adding to the excitement of UFC 318.
