Max Holloway became the first fighter to successfully defend the BMF title, defeating Dustin Poirier in an instant classic at UFC 318 in New Orleans.
Poirier’s night nearly came to a crashing halt in the opening round as Holloway connected with a right hand that knocked the former interim lightweight titleholder down. Poirier weathered the early storm, but he failed to get off much offense for the remainder of the stanza.
Holloway picked up right where he left off in the first, connecting with a three-piece that had Poirier on wobbly legs.