Dustin Poirier reflects on the transition in the UFC as he prepares for his retirement fight against Max Holloway, noting the shift from his era of fighters to a new generation, while acknowledging that many veterans, including himself, are nearing the end of their careers.
When Dustin Poirier joined the UFC back in 2011, the champions were icons like Cain Velasquez, Anderson Silva, Georges St-Pierre, and Frankie Edgar. Fast forward to today, and only Jon Jones and Jose Aldo remain active from that era. It’s wild how times change, right?
Now, at 36, Poirier’s gearing up for his last dance. He’s set to face Max Holloway at UFC 318 in July. It’s like he’s passing the torch, just as legends did when he first entered the octagon.
On The Pat McAfee Show, Poirier reflected, “I think we’re in a changing of the guard.” He reminisced about watching greats like Georges St-Pierre, B.J. Penn, and Chuck Liddell. Those were the days, huh?
He sees a similar shift happening now. Sure, fighters like Alexander Volkanovski are still breaking records—winning titles past 35—but that’s rare. Most are winding down.
Poirier’s been hinting at retirement for a while, but he wanted one last fight. And what better place than his home state, Louisiana, at UFC 318 in New Orleans?
He’s not alone in this transition. Poirier mentioned, “I’m on my way out. Justin Gaethje’s on his way out. Kamaru Usman has a few left.” It’s truly a changing of the guard.
While veterans like Poirier and Gaethje prepare to step back, new stars like Ilia Topuria and Paddy Pimblett are stepping up. The future looks bright, doesn’t it?