Dustin Poirier won’t be walking into the trenches alone. Poirier will be flanked by five-time Grammy-winning rapper Lil Wayne, fellow Louisiana royalty, for his retirement fight at UFC 318 against Max Holloway.
Poirier will make his final entrance on July 19, fighting in his home state. Poirier, who resides in Lafayette, had publicly hoped to have Lil Wayne, a New Orleans native, accompany him to the Smoothie King Center. Poirier has been in contact with Wayne’s management, who confirmed to him that Wayne is currently planning to join him at UFC 318.
“As of right now, his guy, Mack Maine, said he’s in,” Poirier told Full Violence. “But it’s still a good way out. So we’ll see. As of right now, yes.”
Maine is Wayne’s longtime affiliate and business partner. In 2009, Maine was named president of Wayne’s Young Money Entertainment record label.
UFC 318 fight card: Dustin Poirier to challenge Max Holloway for BMF title in retirement fight in New Orleans
Shakiel Mahjouri
Poirier will face a familiar foe for his final fight. “The Diamond” and Holloway have fought twice in distinct junctures of their careers. Poirier submitted Holloway in the latter’s short-notice UFC debut in 2012. Seven years later, Holloway, the featherweight champion at the time, lost a decision to Poirier for the interim lightweight title. Poirier is hoping to reclaim the ceremonial BMF title he lost to Justin Gaethje, who in turn lost it to Holloway.
“I’m going to lay my gloves down in Louisiana, where it all started for me. The journey started there,” Poirier said in April. “Max is a legend. I said legends only. I couldn’t think of a better guy to fight in my retirement fight. I was his first fight in the UFC in 2012, and he’ll be my last fight in the UFC.”
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