Poirier confirmed this week that rap star Lil Wayne will walk him out ahead of his UFC 318 main event showdown against Max Holloway at the Smoothie King Center.
NEW ORLEANS — Lafayette’s own Dustin Poirier is preparing for what he said will be the final fight of his MMA career and he’s bringing a Louisiana legend with him.
Dustin Poirier officially announces Lil Wayne will be walking out with him at #UFC318 in New Orleans 👀🔥 pic.twitter.com/NSwItcgtIp
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) July 16, 2025
Poirier confirmed this week that New Orleans rap star Lil Wayne will walk him out ahead of his UFC 318 main event showdown against Max Holloway at the Smoothie King Center.
“Wayne is walking me out. 100%,” Poirier told reporters, according to ESPN.
The 36-year-old fighter is going after the BMF title before handing up his gloves, following a 14-year career. Â He told the Times-Picayune his goal is to end on a high note in the state where his career began.
“To try to get one more win, to go out on top,” Poirier said. “To lay the gloves down and retire in Louisiana, where I first started training and first started fighting,” NOLA.com reported.
After the fight, he plans to return to Lafayette to raise his daughter.
Lil Wayne, who’s also had a headline-making year, will take part in what’s shaping up to be a milestone moment for both him and Poirier. The rapper released Tha Carter VI in June and performed at Jazz Fest after controversy over his alleged Super Bowl LIX halftime show snub in his hometown.
Holloway and Poirier both agreed to let Wayne close out the BMF Title Around Winner.
Dustin Poirier and Max Holloway agree to let Lil Wayne wrap BMF title around winner at #UFC318 https://t.co/gBWYmnZAek pic.twitter.com/Gr4sxYQXKf
— MMA Fighting (@MMAFighting) July 18, 2025
The matchup goes down tomorrow night — Saturday, July 19 — at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans.
► Get breaking news from your neighborhood delivered directly to you by downloading the new FREE WWL-TV News app now in the IOS App Store or Google Play.