With a heavy heart, Dustin Poirier finally laid down his gloves after 15 unforgettable years in the UFC. Hoping for a storybook ending, Poirier delivered a performance worthy of legends, but fell short on the scorecards as Max Holloway stole the show. In doing so, ‘Blessed’ defended his BMF title and shattered the so-called BMF curse. From Poirier’s signature guillotine to Holloway’s ruthless spinning back kick, the five-round war had it all. As Poirier embraces retirement, it screamed Fight of the Night, but Dana White, as always, had other plans.
Yes, you heard that right—the headlining event of the night, which was nothing short of a war, didn’t receive either the Fight of the Night or Performance of the Night bonus from UFC supremo Dana White. The MMA community caught the moment backstage when both Max Holloway and Dustin Poirier found out that they didn’t receive the bonuses, and it was just hilarious. Poirier revealed the truth to Holloway about the bonus, and ‘Blessed’ was just as confused as the entire MMA community.
As the chaos settled between the UFC stars, we witnessed a heartfelt moment between Poirier and Holloway. Appreciating Poirier’s legacy, Holloway stated, “You got the belt, you’re the champ.” To which Poirier replied, “Hey, it was an honor, bro. It was really an honor.” Interestingly, Poirier asked whether Holloway’s right hand was hurt, and in a hilarious response, Holloway said, “It hurts like hell.”
Max Holloway and Dustin Poirier have a moment backstage pic.twitter.com/sclqr27q29
— MMA On Point (@OnPointMMA) July 20, 2025
So, if it’s not Holloway and Poirier, who got the Fight of the Night and the Performance of the Night bonus? Well, Brendan Allen vs. Marvin Vettori got the Fight Of The Night bonus, and Carli Judice, Islam Dulatov, and Ateba Gautier got Performance Of The Night bonuses. If things had gone Max Holloway and Dustin Poirier’s way, both of them would have received a massive $100,000 as a bonus, and this could have helped Poirier immensely in retirement.
Dustin Poirier is truly the “uncrowned prince” of the UFC, garnering the reputation of being one of the best to never win an undisputed title in the promotion. Still, his war against Holloway for the interim belt was one that will go sown in the annuls of combat history. And who could forget? He was the first and only man to knock Conor McGregor out in all of combat sports. Well, now that he is retired, what’s next for the former interim lightweight champ? Let’s find out.
What’s coming for Dustin Poirier after his MMA retirement?
With a career record of 30 victories and 10 defeats, Poirier bid adieu to the sport as one of the greatest lightweights to ever step foot inside the Octagon. After going to war with the likes of Max Holloway, Islam Makhachev, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Justin Gaethje, Conor McGregor, and many more, Poirier has earned his rest, and that’s exactly what he plans to do, but with a simple twist.
While having a conversation with ESPN, the former interim lightweight champion expressed that he would love to be as jacked as possible after his retirement. Poirier even jokingly claimed that he might use performance-enhancing drugs to be the best version of himself: “This will be the last time I’m ever 155 pounds in my life,” Poirier said with a smile. “[When I retire], I’m getting on steroids. Once USADA stops knocking on my door and I lay the gloves down, I’m getting jacked.”
Well, knowing Dustin Poirier, he won’t be leaving the gym anytime soon. In addition to that, Poirier is also looking to cement his place as an analyst in the UFC by joining the broadcasting team. He has already been a part of the broadcast on several occasions, including UFC 287, UFC 303, UFC 308, and UFC 314. With those hopes, Poirier has finally laid down his gloves.
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