UFC 318 Main Match Card Highlights and Results: Max Holloway vs. Dustin Poirier, Paulo Costa vs. Roman Kopylov and More | International Sports News
UFC 318 marked the end of an era as Dustin Poirier said goodbye to MMA. In his own words: “Paid in full, earned in blood.” The New Orleans supercard delivered 14 action-packed fights, 6 ended in finishes, while 8 went the distance. Here’s a quick look at the main card highlights.
1- Max Holloway vs. Dustin Poirier BMF title fight
Holloway dropped Poirier twice in Round 1 with high-volume signature strikes, but Poirier recovered quickly. In Round 2, Holloway stayed aggressive, landing clean combos that sent Poirier to the mat again. Poirier fought back, cutting Holloway under the eye and attempting a late guillotine. Jump the Gilly silly! Round 3 saw an accidental scratch near Poirier’s left eye, but he chose to continue. Poirier picked up the pace in Round 4, but Holloway remained composed, landing cleaner shots. In the final round, Holloway’s volume clashed with Poirier’s power. After a brief eye poke, they brawled in the final seconds. Holloway landed big shots, rocking Poirier just before the bell. Poirier survived to hear it, closing out an epic, emotional retirement fight. The post-fight interview featured an emotional tribute video to one of the greatest non-undisputed champions in UFC history.
2- Paulo Costa vs. Roman Kopylov
Originally scheduled for UFC 317, the bout was rescheduled for UFC 318 after Costa fell ill. In Round 1, Costa came out aggressively, outlanding Kopylov 41-11 in significant strikes and leaving him bloodied. He maintained control in Round 2, mixing up his attacks while Kopylov remained hesitant. In Round 3, Kopylov landed a solid shot, but Costa absorbed it and stayed composed. The fight went the distance, with Costa winning by unanimous decision. Post-fight, the Brazilian called Khamzat Chimaev a coward.
3- Daniel Rodriguez vs. Kevin Holland
Both fighters landed the same significant strikes in Round 1 with 32. Holland suffered a cut under his left eye. In Round 2, Rodriguez dropped Holland with a stiff jab and controlled him on the ground, despite his corner urging him to stand up. Though Rodriguez showed some fatigue, he edged the round.Round 3 saw Holland rally with heavy shots, but Rodriguez recovered, mounted him, and finished strong. Rodriguez won by unanimous decision. This was his third straight win in a bout worthy of ‘Fight of the Night.’
4- Patricio Pitbull vs. Dan Ige
Patricio Pitbull dominated the first two rounds, leaving Dan Ige bloodied by Round 2. In Round 3, Ige landed a strong knee that briefly rattled Pitbull, but the veteran recovered quickly and regained control. Pitbull secured a unanimous decision victory, marking his first win in the UFC after losing his debut against Yair Rodriguez in Miami.
5- Michael Johnson vs. Daniel Zellhuber
The lightweight veteran opened the main card with a point to prove, and he did just that. Michael Johnson outworked the younger Daniel Zellhuber to earn a unanimous decision win. Speaking to Daniel Cormier afterward, Johnson said he served Zellhuber some “humble pie.” This marks Johnson’s third straight victory, with two coming by unanimous decision.Also read: Paulo Costa explodes after disturbing Khamzat Chimaev DMs to his girlfriend ahead of UFC 318 clash
