Former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya wouldn’t be surprised to see a knockout within the UFC 318 most important event.
BMF titleholder Max Holloway will function Dustin Poirier‘s final UFC opponent as they settle their trilogy bout within the UFC 318 most important event this weekend. It’ll be Poirier’s self-described ‘last ride’ after a legendary profession that features wins over a slew of MMA legends.
UFC 318 also will mark Holloway’s return to the lightweight division after a knockout loss to Ilia Topuria at UFC 308. He opted to make the full-time move to lightweight following the fight, hinting at many intriguing matchups for him within the division.
Israel Adesanya sides with Max Holloway at UFC 318, predicts possible KO
In Holloway’s most-recent lightweight appearance, he earned one of the vital shocking knockouts in UFC history when he slept Justin Gaethje on the buzzer at UFC 300 last 12 months. However the last time he faced off with Poirier, Holloway struggled to take care of Poirier’s size and boxing en path to a unanimous decision defeat at UFC 236.
Former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya knows a thing or two about approach rematches, as Holloway looks to send Poirier off into the sunset with a loss. Despite Poirier being up 2-0 of their series, Adesanya believes Holloway could earn one other highlight-reel KO of their trilogy.
In a recent breakdown on his YouTube channel, Adesanya shared his prediction for the UFC 318 headliner.
“Dustin tends to when he gets drained, he reverts back to his old habits, which is flat-footedness,” Adesanya said of Holloway vs. Poirier.
“He throws without setting things up, sometimes. But he’s modified that. But again when he gets drained, Max doesn’t really get drained. Dustin was in a position to outwork him in that second fight once they fought for the belt, Dustin hurt Max…first time I’ve seen Max rocked.
“But Max is attempting to spoil the party with the Blessed Express. I’m going with Max on this fight,” Adesanya continued. “I feel Max might be more defensively sound, he’s not going to get gun shy. But he’ll be smarter now with the burden, because Max has taken lots of shots and the chin only holds up for thus long. Lightweight Max, I still think can knock out Dustin Poirier, and this time may very well be different.”
Poirier opted to make UFC 318 his retirement fight after a loss to Islam Makhachev at UFC 302 last 12 months. Despite speculation he could change his mind on retirement after UFC 318, Poirier seems intent on making this storybook ending final.
Max Holloway’s former rival picked him to beat Dustin Poirier at UFC 318
One in every of Holloway’s former rivals, Alexander Volkanovski, sided with him to get the trilogy win at UFC 318. Volkanovski and Holloway fought thrice of their UFC careers with Volkanovski winning all three fights.
After dropping the Volkanovski trilogy, Holloway is seeking to get his revenge against Poirier this weekend and make a powerful case for a light-weight title shot. A win could potentially arrange Holloway for a rematch with Topuria, after the latter’s vacant title win last month at UFC 317.
We’re hours away from checking out if Holloway will get his revenge against Poirier, or if Poirier will end his historic profession on considered one of the best notes.