UFC heavyweight champion, Tom Aspinall, doesn’t understand why two legends of the sport, Max Holloway and Dustin Poirier, can’t be trusted to carry the UFC 318 pay-per-view (PPV) card this weekend in New Orleans without a prop like the “BMF” belt.
“I mean, it’s a title, but it’s not a world championship, so what are we doing?” Aspinall told TNT Sports. “These guys don’t need a title. They’re two legends of the sport. Look at the name value, even look at the rankings, look at the amount of fights they’ve got, look at the shorts they’re wearing. We don’t really need a title on the line, to be honest.”
Holloway will look to avoid an 0-3 sweep against Poirier after previously falling to “The Diamond” by submission at UFC 143 and then again by decision at UFC 236. “Blessed” won the “BMF” belt by stopping Justin Gaethje at UFC 300 back in early 2024.
Poirier’s last win over Holloway was for the interim lightweight title.
“I’m going to give you a controversial answer again,” Aspinall continued. “My opinion, it doesn’t matter what it says in front of the word ‘world champion.’ If you have the words UFC and title on it, you’re a champion regardless. Is he the best fighter to ever not win an undisputed title? I would say definitely Dustin Poirier. He’s had such a respectable career that I don’t think the title matters for somebody like him in my opinion.”
Perhaps it’s not such a controversial answer after all.
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LEGENDARY TRILOGY / BMF SHOWDOWN! Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) continues its 2025 pay-per-view (PPV) schedule on Sat., July 19, 2025, with a thrilling trilogy set to headline UFC 318 from inside Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. In UFC 318’s PPV main event, Max Holloway defends his BMF title against former interim Lightweight champion (and No. 3-ranked contender), Dustin Poirier, in a high-stakes, five-round clash that will mark the final fight for “The Diamond” before he retires from the sport. UFC 318’s PPV co-main event features Middleweight contenders Paulo Costa vs. Roman Kopylov in a pivotal 185-pound bout rescheduled from UFC 317. UFC 318 will also showcase a Welterweight clash between Kevin Holland vs. Daniel Rodriguez, a Featherweight showdown pitting Dan Ige vs. Patricio Pitbull, a Lightweight bout featuring Michael Johnson vs. Daniel Zellhuber and much more! UFC 318’s start time is scheduled for 6:15 p.m. ET (“Early Prelims”), 8 p.m. ET (“Prelims” undercard) and 10 p.m. ET (PPV main card).
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