And that’s a wrap! After 15 unforgettable years under the UFC banner, Dustin Poirier’s legendary journey came to a close at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans. The “uncrowned prince” stayed true to his moniker, as Max Holloway finally got his long-awaited revenge, defending the BMF title with a unanimous decision win. For five relentless rounds, the two warriors delivered the war they promised—but when the dust settled, it was ‘Blessed’ who stood tall.

Poirier even admitted he already knew it would be tough facing Max. “I thought he was going to be in here cracking a little bit harder, which he was,” Poirier said of Holloway. “This guy is tough to deal with when he’s in front of you. He’s slick. He’s crafty. He’s fast. He’s the [BMF] champ. I got nothing but respect for Max, man. He’s one of the good guys.” 

And Holloway, who entered the fight after losing the first two fights of the series, was full of praise for the 36-year-old, who fought his last MMA bout. “The baddest man alive, bro,” said Holloway. “Give it up for Dustin Poirier.” Even Jon Jones couldn’t resist showing his respect for the veteran’s last dance.

Interestingly, Jon Jones had no idea that Dustin Poirier was retiring tonight. When a fan reminded him, he couldn’t believe it. Furthermore, another fan chimed in, noting that Poirier wanted to retire on his own terms—just like Jones—only that Jones received hate for it. Responding to the fans, Jones wrote, “Yeah, there’s no double standards, let’s just call it a weird coincidence to keep everybody comfortable.” Well, to be unbiased, Jones did hold up the division unlike Poirier.

As the 15-year-old rivalry ended with a 2-1 score in favor of Dustin Poirier, Jon Jones wrote, “Now that’s what you call a rivalry.” In the end, as Poirier retires from the game, Jones had a heartfelt message for him, “Congratulations on an amazing career, Dustin, thank you for the years of entertainment. Now go enjoy your retirement.” Well, Jon Jones is not the only person who gave a message to ‘The Diamond.’

Islam Makhachev, Nate Diaz, Jorge Masvidal, and many more lined up for Poirier’s retirement

You know you’re one of the favorites when all the UFC legends come together to give you a proper send-off—and that’s exactly what happened with Dustin Poirier. Justin Gaethje, who was in attendance at UFC 318, looked visibly emotional when the camera panned to him, as one of his greatest rivals finally chose to walk the road of retirement. Islam Makhachev took to his X handle to upload a photo of Poirier and wrote, “Congratulations, Dustin. You’re truly one of the greatest to ever step into the cage. It was an honor and a privilege to share it with you.”

Jorge Masvidal took time out of his hand to write a big message for the former interim lightweight champ, “Congrats on an awesome career, Dustin! It’s been great sharing this journey with you. Thanks for all the good times and everything you brought to the team. Enjoy retirement, you’ve more than earned it.” Nate Diaz was at a crossroads as he took a cheeky jibe at both Max Holloway and Dustin Poirier through his X post, “This fight for my belt #UFC318.” 

Even Conor McGregor couldn’t resist reacting to Poirier’s retirement: “We love a good scrapper in the company, and them two boys are just that — scrappers,” McGregor stated in a now-deleted tweet. “Awesome stuff! Great fights, lads. Bravo! R.I.Pea Head!'” As Dustin Poirier retires from the sport, he leaves a legacy for the younglings to follow.