UFC 318: Dustin Poirier is an 'absolute legend' but will still lose trilogy fight to Max Holloway says Dan Ige

An all-time UFC great is hanging up the gloves after Saturday night, as Dustin Poirier will challenge Max Holloway for the BMF title in the main event of UFC 318 from the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, La., live on DAZN PPV (Canada only) and ESPN+ PPV in the United States. 

Poirier (30-9, one no-contest) has taken on the who's who of the UFC. He's shared the octagon three times with Conor McGregor (2-1), twice with Holloway (2-0), and Khabib Nurmagomedov (0-1). Now, the former interim lightweight champion gets to finish his illustrious career in his hometown and on his terms. 

"The Diamond", dude? Absolute legend," Dan Ige, who fights Patricio Pitbull on the UFC 318 main card in featherweight action, told DAZN News. "He's literally fought everyone. Fan-friendly fighter that always brings it. I feel like he would be a guy that'd step up and take a fight on four hours' notice, a hundred percent. So he's a gangster. He's a real one. No matter how this fight goes, he will be a legend forever.  I'm a big fan."

While a huge fan of Poirier, Ige just has an inkling that it won't be a successful ride for the 36-year-old into the sunset.

"Max Holloway, Ige says bluntly on his main event pick. "I respect him. I respect Max, too, though. But I also know Max, and he's lost enough to the guy."

Ige (19-9) snapped a two-fight losing streak at UFC 314 with a third-round stoppage over Sean Woodson. Pitbull had an unsuccessful UFC debut on the same show, losing a decision to featherweight title contender Yair Rodriguez. 

Ige prefers the fight to stay on the feet, as does Pitbull. A win over the former Bellator two-division champion puts Ige in a good spot in a competitive featherweight division. To Ige, it's about getting a couple more wins and do to his style inside the Octagon, he could net him a title shot quicker than it would take others. 

"The fans like me, Ige said. "I feel like, let's just hypothetically speak here. I go out there and knock out Patricio Pitbull. I think it sets me up. I'm not saying a title shot, but it will put me right there with one of those top five guys to essentially maybe get something like that. But again, that's not really on my radar. I mean, I do want to rack up two or three good wins. We had Woodson. Let's get Pitbull. Let's get one more, and then we could maybe talk about that stuff. Just kind of given my style is more, someone like Movsar (Evloev), for example. (He) has to go out there and beat nine, 10 guys to a decision to get a title shot. But if you put me in there and I knock three guys out, you kind of get to jump the line. Just kind of how the business is. 

"I'm not saying I deserve it more than anyone else. I've seen it. It is real. That's how it happens. So you never know, especially in this sport. You just got to be ready. In the right place at the right time. It's how title shots happen. It's not the overall thing I obsess about, but I still have a belief in it, and it could be done, and you never know. Just the right place, right time, and got to get a win streak going. That's all that really matters for me right now."

Holloway vs Poirier fight card

Main card

• Max Holloway vs Dustin Poirier; Lightweight
• Paulo Costa vs Roman Kopylov; Middleweight
• Kevin Holland vs Daniel Rodriguez; Welterweight
• Dan Ige vs Patricio Pitbull; Featherweight
• Michael Johnson vs Daniel Zellhuber; Lightweight

Prelims

• Kyler Phillips vs Vinicius Oliveira; Bantamweight
• Marvin Vettori vs Brendan Allen; Middleweight
• Francisco Prado vs Nikolay Veretennikov; Welterweight
• Ateba Abega Gautier vs Robert Valentin; Middleweight