UFC 318 Preview
Max Holloway and Dustin Poirier face off inside the octagon during their second fight. Credit: MMA Fighting.
The UFC heads to the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana, with an outstanding pay-per-view card. The entire card is full of top-level talent and outstanding matchups that are all sure to deliver this Saturday. In the co-main event, we’ll see two outstanding Middleweight strikers collide when Paulo Costa takes on Roman Kopylov. In the main event, we’ll witness the culmination of the incredible career of Dustin Poirier, finally receiving his rubber match with fellow legend, Max Holloway. We’ll take a look at a select few preliminary bouts, then preview the full main card.
Prelims
#10 Marvin Vettori vs. #11 Brendan Allen
Marvin Vettori cracks Paulo Costa with a stiff left hand. Credit: Zuffa LLC.
Middleweight Bout
Marvin Vettori: 19-8-1, 2 KO/TKO, 9 Sub.
Brendan Allen: 24-7-0, 5 KO/TKO, 14 Sub.
Vettori has won two of his last five fights and has UFC victories over #8 ranked Middleweight Roman Dolidze (15-3-0), #13 ranked Middleweight Paulo Costa (14-4-0), and Jack Hermansson (24-9-0). He’s a hard-nosed scrapper who’s willing to engage in the fight anywhere. He has an outstanding chin and is willing to eat one to land one, regularly blitzing into the pocket to unload heavy combinations. Vettori has exceptional cardio, having gone five rounds six times in his UFC tenure, and pushes a consistent pace throughout. Training at American Top Team, he varies his attacks well, attacking the head, legs, and body with equal tenacity. He’s a solid grappler, averaging over one takedown landed per fifteen minutes and heavy top control. Vettori has gone the distance in all but two of his UFC appearances and always leaves everything inside the cage, landing, on average, 119 significant strikes in his last five outings.
Brendan Allen unloads a Superman punch on André Muniz. Credit: MMA Fighting.
Allen has won three of his last five bouts, holding UFC victories over Chris Curtis (32-12-0), Paul Craig (17-9-1), and Andre Muniz (24-7-0). He’s an excellent grappler with a lethal submission game and solid power in his hands. He’s always dangerous, whether on top or his back, constantly pursuing submissions and looking to finish the fight. Training at Kill Cliff FC, he’ll throw heavy ground and pound in top position, remaining active while looking for submission openings. He has solid striking to complement his grappling, possessing decent power in his hands and kicks and utilizing a boxing style when on his feet. He consistently maintains a high pace, has solid cardiovascular endurance, and can comfortably go five rounds. Allen has secured eleven of his fourteen submissions via rear-naked choke and is deadly if he can find his opponent’s neck.
#12 Kyler Phillips vs. Vinícius Oliveira
Kyler Phillips fires a head kick at Raulian Paiva. Credit: MMA Fighting.
Bantamweight Bout
Kyler Phillips: 12-3-0, 5 KO/TKO, 2 Sub.
Vinícius Oliveira: 22-3-0, 16 KO/TKO, 2 Sub.
Phillips has won three of his last five outings and has UFC victories over #5 ranked Bantamweight Song Yadong (22-8-1), Pedro Munhoz (20-10-0), and Raoni Barcelos (20-5-0). He’s an exceptionally fluid striker with an impressive grappling background. He has excellent footwork and is highly elusive, constantly entering and exiting the pocket without absorbing significant damage. Training at the MMA LAB, Phillips throws everything in combination, regularly mixing in kicks while continually changing levels and attacking at different angles. Averaging over two takedowns landed per fifteen minutes in the UFC, he’s an accomplished grappler, holding a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and California state championships in wrestling and Judo. He’s impressively explosive and quick, able to throw heavy or commit to strikes without telegraphing. Phillips has excellent cardio and pushes a heavy pace throughout, landing, on average, about 76 significant strikes in his last five fights.
Vinícius Oliveira lands a vicious flying knee on Bernardo Sopaj. Credit: MMA Fighting.
Oliveira is on a five-fight win streak, with UFC victories coming over Ricky Simón (22-6-0), Said Nurmagomedov (18-4-0), and Bernardo Sopaj (12-3-0). He’s a vicious, elusive striker with serious power in his hands and an unpredictable arsenal of attacks. He utilizes a very unorthodox stance and movement style, keeping his hands down and relying on his head movement and footwork to avoid damage. Oliveira typically remains at range, keeping his head off the centerline before entering the pocket to unload wild, looping hooks. He never telegraphs his next move, sometimes picking his shots and staying at range, and other times extending long punch combinations punctuated with heavy kicks. Training with Sombra Team MMA, he won’t typically initiate grappling exchanges but has shown outstanding takedown defense in the UFC and will not accept a position on his back. Thirteen of his sixteen knockouts have come in the first round, and he’s most dangerous early on, carrying his power throughout but often reducing his pace and footwork as the fight continues.
Main Card
Michael Johnson vs. Daniel Zellhuber
Michael Johnson blasts Alan Patrick with a brutal left hand. Credit: MMA Junkie.
Lightweight Bout
Michael Johnson: 24-19-0, 10 KO/TKO, 2 Sub.
Daniel Zellhuber: 15-2-0, 7 KO/TKO, 3 Sub.
Johnson has won two of his last five fights and holds UFC victories over #6 ranked Lightweight Dustin Poirier (30-9-0), Edson Barboza (24-12-0), and Tony Ferguson (26-11-0). He has been in the promotion since 2010 and is an alumnus of the 12th season of The Ultimate Fighter, with a background in collegiate wrestling. He’s fought a who’s who of the Lightweight division and is known for his solid wrestling skills and devastating punching power. Training at Kill Cliff FC, Johnson has blazing-fast hands and loves to get into the pocket and unload vicious, extended combinations. He has power in both hands and is always dangerous, with his best weapon being his straight punches. He has quality grappling skills, typically using them when he’s losing on the feet, but can land brutal ground and pound if he secures top position. Johnson has scored the second-most knockdowns in UFC Lightweight history (11) and is always in pursuit of a knockout.
Daniel Zellhuber fires a kick at the head of Esteban Ribovics. Credit: MMA Mania.
Zellhuber has won three of his last five bouts, with UFC victories coming over Lando Vannata (12-7-2), Francisco Prado (12-3-0), and Christos Giagos (20-12-0). He’s a lengthy striker with excellent boxing, speed, and power. He fights behind his jab, remaining patient and looking for openings to land damaging shots. Zellhuber has solid cardio and will remain technical throughout, pushing a consistent pace and often improving as the fight continues. Training at Xtreme Couture, he has excellent distance management and footwork, typically controlling the center of the cage for most of the fight. He won’t often initiate grappling exchanges, but he has a solid submission game, holding a black belt in BJJ, and has defended 94% of takedowns attempted on him in the UFC. Zellhuber is tied for the longest reach among active Lightweights and uses it well, constantly doing damage from range with long punches and kicks.
#11 Dan Ige vs. Patrício Pitbull
Dan Ige stuns Sean Woodson with a cracking left hand. Credit: MMA Mania.
Featherweight Bout
Dan Ige: 19-9-0, 7 KO/TKO, 5 Sub.
Patrício Pitbull: 36-8-0, 13 KO/TKO, 11 Sub.
Ige has won two of his last five outings and has UFC victories over Edson Barboza (24-12-0), Andre Fili (24-12-0), and Sean Woodson (13-2-1). He is a brawler with serious power inside the pocket and excellent technical boxing. He has great footwork and constantly varies his attacks, going to the head and body evenly. While Ige primarily uses his hands to land damage, he also possesses powerful kicks, often throwing them naked or at the end of combinations. Training at Xtreme Couture, he throws every shot with power and deadly intent, possessing one-shot knockout ability in both hands. He has a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and is willing to grapple, landing at least one takedown in more than half of his UFC victories. Ige has also demonstrated excellent defensive grappling skills and is consistently active on the ground, never staying in one spot for long.
Patrício Pitbull tags Yair Rodríguez with a right hook. Credit: MMA Fighting.
Pitbull has won three of his last five fights and is looking to score his first UFC victory. He’s a former Bellator Lightweight and Featherweight champion and is the Bellator record holder for the most fights, wins, title fights, wins in title fights, and finishes. Often considered the greatest Bellator fighter of all time, he’s a powerful, technical fighter with outstanding distance management and counterstriking skills. Pitbull does an excellent job of holding the center of the cage and forcing his opponent to the outside, not utilizing much elusive movement but always pressing forward. Training at Pitbull Brothers, he throws everything with power but won’t get sloppy or telegraph his strikes, often blitzing forward with looping hooks before quickly returning to range. Pitbull has fought for championships in fifteen of his last twenty fights and is comfortable anywhere the fight ends up.
#13 Kevin Holland vs. Daniel Rodriguez
Kevin Holland secures an anaconda choke on Vicente Luque. Credit: Zuffa LLC.
Welterweight Bout
Kevin Holland: 28-13-0, 13 KO/TKO, 10 Sub.
Daniel Rodriguez: 19-5-0, 9 KO/TKO, 4 Sub.
Holland has won three of his last five bouts and has UFC victories over #8 ranked Welterweight Joaquin Buckley (21-7-0), #9 ranked Middleweight Anthony Hernandez (14-2-0), and Vicente Luque (23-11-1). A wild scrapper who’s comfortable anywhere the fight goes, he’s always dangerous and can finish the fight anywhere. He’s an aggressive striker, throwing everything in combination with knockout intentions, and is always willing to brawl. Holland is lengthy and capable of fighting in the pocket or at range, but typically looks to crash into the pocket and unload combinations. Training at Travis Lutter BJJ, he’s a solid grappler, holding a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and landing, on average, about one takedown per fifteen minutes. He has solid top control and excellent submissions, particularly chokes, with seven of his nine submission victories coming via choke. Holland is one of the most active fighters in MMA, having fought 26 times in the UFC since 2018, earning ten post-fight bonuses during his tenure with the promotion.
Daniel Rodriguez clips Mike Perry with a powerful right hook. Credit: MMA Fighting.
Rodriguez has won two of his last five outings, holding UFC victories over Santiago Ponzinibbio (31-9-0), Tim Means (33-17-1), and Li Jingliang (19-9-0). He’s a technical Muay Thai striker who favors kicks over punches. He remains composed throughout the fight, fighting behind his jab and constantly pursuing a finish without getting sloppy. Training at 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu, Rodriguez has excellent movement and footwork, constantly attacking from different angles with a variety of strikes. He has solid kicks, regularly adding leg kicks to the end of punch combinations. He’s proven highly durable, constantly surviving in deep waters and finding his way back into fights. Rodriguez is unlikely to initiate grappling exchanges but has solid takedown defense and does an excellent job of getting back to his feet, where he’s most comfortable.
#13 Paulo Costa vs. #14 Roman Kopylov
Paulo Costa unloads a heavy right hand on Luke Rockhold. Credit: MMA Fighting.
Middleweight Bout
Paulo Costa: 14-4-0, 11 KO/TKO, 1 Sub.
Roman Kopylov: 14-3-0, 12 KO/TKO, 0 Sub.
Costa has won one of his last five fights and has UFC victories over Yoel Romero (16-7-0), Uriah Hall (18-11-0), and Luke Rockhold (16-6-0). He has outstanding punching power and pushes a heavy pace. Although he entered the UFC as a knockout artist, he can also punch with volume, landing, on average, about 95 significant strikes in his last five appearances. Costa has a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and solid grappling skills, but rarely goes to the ground and hasn’t attempted a submission in the UFC. Training with Team Borracha, he is at his best when pressuring forward, throwing bombs and powerful kicks, especially to the body. He is more than willing to eat a shot to land one, absorbing an almost equal amount of significant strikes as he lands per minute. Costa slows as the fight continues, but will get more aggressive, throwing caution to the wind and taking more risks.
Roman Kopylov cracks Cesar Almeida with a vicious left hand. Credit: SportsBoom.
Kopylov has won four of his last five bouts, with UFC victories coming over Chris Curtis (32-12-0), Claudio Ribeiro (11-5-0), and César Almeida (7-1-0). He’s a sniper on his feet, using precision and power to dismantle his opponents. He won’t utilize much footwork but is constantly feinting and drawing reactions out of his opponents, opening up opportunities to land strikes. Kopylov does an excellent job of varying his shots, attacking the head and body evenly, and often mixing kicks into punch combinations. He never telegraphs shots or loads up, but throws everything with devastating power and can produce flash knockouts anytime. Training with Raty Team, he’s unlikely to initiate grappling exchanges, but he has fantastic takedown defense and has defended 87% of takedowns attempted on him in the UFC. Kopylov is exceptionally explosive, often touching his opponent with single shots before unleashing huge combinations.
#5 Max Holloway vs. #6 Dustin Poirier
Max Holloway rocks Justin Gaethje with a stiff right hand. Credit: Zuffa LLC.
Lightweight Bout
Max Holloway: 26-8-0, 12 KO/TKO, 2 Sub.
Dustin Poirier: 30-9-0, 16 KO/TKO, 7 Sub.
Holloway has won three of his last five outings and has UFC victories over #3 ranked Featherweight Yair Rodríguez (21-5-0), #4 ranked Lightweight Justin Gaethje (26-5-0), and #4 ranked Featherweight Arnold Allen (20-3-0). One of the most respected fighters in the sport, he’s a fantastic striker capable of outputting astronomical volume. He pushes a heavy pace and remains technical throughout, fighting behind his jab and never wasting energy. Holloway has excellent distance management and footwork, remaining in perpetual motion and landing damage without receiving much in return. Training at Gracie Technics, he has a solid submission game and has defended 83% of takedowns attempted on him in the UFC, but he rarely goes to the ground. He’ll constantly look to counterstrike, slipping his opponent’s attacks before landing his own. Holloway has earned 13 post-fight bonuses in his UFC tenure and holds various records, including but not limited to: most significant strikes landed all-time (3457), most significant strikes landed in a single bout (445), and the second-most total fight time (8:02:43).
Dustin Poirier lands a perfect right hook to knock out Benoît Saint Denis. Credit: MMA Fighting.
Poirier has won three of his last five fights, holding UFC victories over #4 ranked Lightweight Justin Gaethje (26-5-0), #7 ranked Lightweight Dan Hooker (24-12-0), and his current opponent, Max Holloway. He’s been in the UFC for over a decade and has established himself as one of the most exciting scrappers of all time. He pushes a heavy pace, is always willing to eat one to land one, and throws everything with purpose. Poirier has exceptional technical skills but is willing to exchange in the pocket and brawl, regularly throwing caution to the wind. He has excellent wrestling and a black belt in BJJ, complementing his striking abilities, and is landing, on average, over one takedown per fifteen minutes. Training at American Top Team, he’s highly durable and has excellent cardio, making him dangerous at all times. Poirier is one of the most accomplished Lightweights of all time, holding wins over five former UFC champions, has landed the third most significant strikes in Lightweight history (1268), and is tied for the most Lightweight knockout victories (9).
Best Bets
Johnson vs. Zellhuber to Not Go the Distance: This is an excellent matchup of an established veteran and a rising prospect. Although both are strikers, they have very different styles. Johnson favors his hands, constantly looking to close the distance and throw power punches. Zellhuber is a more technical and measured fighter, typically looking to utilize his length and kicks while fighting at range. Despite their differing styles, both will regularly get dragged into brawls, and both have impressive knockout power. Johnson and Zellhuber have also been exchanging barbs online and in press conferences for a few weeks, making both more likely to be hunting for a knockout. I expect this fight to get off to a quick start, with both men coming forward and letting their hands go. Each of these fighters is dangerous in their own right, and I believe either could secure a finish victory. Regardless of who emerges as the victor, I don’t expect this fight to go three complete rounds.
Dan Ige Moneyline: An intriguing matchup of two well-rounded scrappers, I’m looking forward to this one. Ige is a sharp, technical striker, usually favoring his hands, and will often mix in takedowns and submission attempts. Pitbull is an excellent kickboxer on his feet, with heavy punches and quick kicks, and has world-class Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu on the mat. Both are experienced fighters with a solid resume of wins, but Pitbull has had the lengthier career, with 11 more years as a professional and 16 more fights, many of which were for titles. Pitbull has been in plenty of wars and wild five-round scraps, and although experience is valuable, he has a lot of miles on him. I believe this showed in his fight with Yair Rodriguez; while he still seemed to possess solid power, he looked slow and outmatched by the younger, quicker fighter. I expect a similar outcome here: Ige can match Pitbull’s power, and is the bigger, faster, younger man. I anticipate Pitbull to be more aggressive than in his last outing, but I expect Ige to outland him while controlling the pace and distance. While I’m not sure how long this fight will last or if the judges will be involved, I’m confident Ige will walk away with a victory on Saturday.
Dustin Poirier Moneyline: Six years removed from their second meeting, we receive the third fight between two of the UFC’s most legendary fighters. Poirier has been the victor of their last two bouts, defeating Holloway by submission in 2012 and by unanimous decision in 2019, earning an interim Lightweight title. This fight has significant meaning to both men. For Holloway, it’s not only a chance to avenge losses to an old rival, but also an opportunity to show the fans he’s still got it following a brutal defeat at the hands of Ilia Topuria. Poirier has already confirmed this will be his final fight, and a final victory over Holloway would be the perfect capstone to an outstanding career. Both fighters have spoken recently on their plans for an all-out war, and I’d be shocked if it was anything short of that. Although both men have changed and evolved since their last fight, I foresee a similar outcome. I expect this fight to get to a quick but technical start, with numerous close exchanges in the opening rounds. As the fight progresses, I believe both men will take more risks, staying in the pocket and unloading combinations. While the pace continues to increase, I anticipate Poirier slowly taking over, getting the better of the exchanges, controlling the center, and landing the bigger shots. Knowing this is his final bout, I believe Poirier will leave everything he has left in the Octagon and earn a hard-fought victory, one last time.
