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Dana White denied Dustin Poirier's hardcore UFC retirement idea

Mathew Riddle

Jessica Alcheh-Imagn Images

Dustin Poirier tried to end his MMA career guns blazing, but Dana White couldn't allow it.

Poirier fights Max Holloway for a third time in the headlining fight of UFC 318 this Summer, marking 'The Diamond's' exit from the sport. Poirier has been a UFC mainstay since 2011 and has built a reputation for being one of the most violent fighters on the roster.

He tried to uphold this reputation in his retirement fight...

Dustin Poirie
Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

Dustin Poirier pitched one-night BMF tournament for retirement fight, Dana White declined

Speaking to Ariel Helwani, Poirier revealed that he pitched a one-night BMF tournament as his retirement plan to UFC boss Dana White. Unfortunately, White had to decline.

"... Hey let's do a BMF tournament," Poirier explained his conversation with White. "I pitched me, [Justin] Gaethje, Max [Holloway] and [Dan] Hooker. . . . [White] thought I was talking about a few months tournament . . . I was talking about a one-night tournament.

"He told me nobody would sanction that."

Who would fight in a UFC BMF one-night tournament?

Poirier's tournament idea included three former or current BMF champs: Poirier, Gaethje, and Holloway. Hooker would have been the new introduction. Holloway vs. Hooker and Gaethje vs. Poirier 3 would have been the most intriguing opening bracket.

Another consideration could have been Charles Oliveira, who holds the most finishes and submissions in UFC history. 'Do Bronx' also has wins over Poirier and Gaethje and lost to Holloway very early in his career. However, Oliveira is fixated on the undisputed title.

The inaugural BMF title was competed for at welterweight with Jorge Masvidal vs. Nate Diaz. Since then, it's been locked in the lightweight division. Will the UFC ever bring BMF titles to other divisions?

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Mathew Riddle
MATHEW RIDDLE

Mathew is a UK-based combat sports journalist, graphic designer, and SEO expert with half a decade of digital marketing and a dedicated four-year track record in MMA journalism. He joined MMA Knockout when it was founded in 2023. Mathew's insights have been featured on Bloody Elbow, The Fight Fanatic, and Heavy on UFC. He runs Warrior Tribune and can be contacted by his Muckrack profile.

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