“It would take me two months of really strict dieting and starving my body almost. And then I would still have another 15 to 18 pounds to cut,” Dustin Poirier told MMA Junkie back in 2015, opening up about the brutal weight cuts that ultimately pushed him out of the featherweight division. His last fight at 145 lbs came against Conor McGregor at UFC 178. And now, nearly 11 years later, ‘The Diamond’ drops a surprising revelation about his UFC 318 weight cut.

Poirier has always been viewed as the kind of fighter who can float between weight classes, thanks to his relentless dedication to making the weight. But the Louisiana slugger once made it clear to Fox Sports, “I’m never going to go down to 145 again,” firmly stating that lightweight was his true home, while also shutting down any talk of moving up to 170. Fast forward a decade, and as he prepares to face Max Holloway at UFC 318, Poirier now reveals this was the easiest weight cut of his career. 

Dustin Poirier says UFC 318 weight cut was so easy, featherweight was possible

During the UFC 318 weigh-in show, Dustin Poirier was interviewed by fellow Louisiana legend and former two-division champ Daniel Cormier. ‘The Diamond’ told him, “This was the easiest weight cut! I could’ve hit 152 out here easily! I could’ve kept cutting. I was feeling good. I came into fight week the lightest I’ve ever shown up on a Tuesday.” When ‘DC’ asked whether he could’ve made 145 pounds, Poirier responded, “I probably could.”

That’s a wild revelation coming from ‘The Diamond,’ especially considering his past struggles with featherweight cuts. But that’s not all! Poirier also reached a major career milestone ahead of UFC 318. After 40 professional fights, Dustin Poirier joins McGregor and Israel Adesanya for never missing weight. MMA Junkie’s Mike Bohn highlighted the feat on X, captioning, “Full career of never missing weight achievement unlocked.” Just days before his potential retirement, that’s yet another notch on the legendary career. 

Well, now that Poirier (156 lbs) and Holloway (155 lbs) have made weight, the UFC 318 main event is officially on. The spectacle inside the Smoothie King Center is all set to take center stage. However, predictions are still flying in from all corners, and Dustin just got the backing of a former championship opponent ahead of the fight!

Islam Makhachev backs Poirier to defeat Max Holloway at UFC 318

Islam Makhachev was the man who crushed Dustin Poirier’s hopes of claiming the lightweight title for a third time at UFC 302. The buildup was intense, with plenty of heat between them before they finally squared off inside the Octagon. But once the dust settled, it was all respect between the two warriors. Now, as ‘The Diamond’ prepares to say goodbye, his former rival believes he has what it takes to walk away with the BMF belt.

In a post shared by Red Corner MMA on X, Islam Makhachev showed nothing but respect, saying, “Poirier is my dude. I support him 100%. We send each other texts. If this is his last fight, I think he will be at his peak, he will give his absolute best.” And the former lightweight champ is spot on. Poirier is absolutely locked in to give it everything he’s got, win the trilogy against Holloway, and ride off into the sunset on his own terms.

However, this is far from an easy fight for the former interim lightweight champ. ‘Blessed’ proved at UFC 300 against Justin Gaethje that he hits different at 155 pounds. Poirier needs to be extremely careful dealing with Max’s sharp counters and be fully prepared for a potential five-round war.

With that being said, who do you think makes history in New Orleans, Louisiana? Can Dustin Poirier secure one final win before laying down his gloves? Or will Holloway become the first man to defend the BMF belt? Time’s running out, so drop your predictions in the comments!