Dustin Poirier is walking into the Octagon one last time. But before he hangs up his gloves, ‘The Diamond’ is making sure his final bow echoes far beyond the cage walls. As he prepares to face Max Holloway at UFC 318 in his retirement fight, Poirier is staying true to the cause that’s defined much of his career outside the Octagon. And while he may not be battling opponents inside the cage anymore, he’ll continue to fight the good fight!

During the UFC 318 pre-fight press conference, a reporter asked Poirier what he had planned for his final walk under the bright lights. The Louisiana native didn’t hesitate as he stated, “Yeah, I’m going to auction off everything I wear Saturday night again for our next school, but currently, right now, we just got finished.”

That’s been the playbook for Poirier ever since he and his wife Jolie launched ‘The Good Fight Foundation’ in 2018. Since its inception, the organization has helped build playgrounds for disabled children, fund clean water projects in Uganda, feed hospital workers during COVID-19, and even aid the families of fallen police officers.

‘The Diamond’ further stated, “It’s grown to where I don’t even have to be there right now. I have such a strong team, and community of friends, family, my brother, my business partners, everybody on the board. Alan Jouban, his wife and son all came and sweat in that warehouse and helped when I was finishing camp.”

The latest initiative? Over 1,200 backpacks, each filled to the brim with school supplies. The distribution is set for August 5 in Lafayette, Louisiana, as Poirier continued in the pre-fight interview, “…so as soon as this fight ends, I get a little downtime and we’re right back to fighting the good fight.”

So, while his remarkable run from the WEC to becoming an interim lightweight champion and one of the toughest competitors in the UFC’s 155 lbs division may be coming to an end, his legacy will continue to breathe through his foundation.

Remember UFC 211? That’s when it all started. He sold his fight kit and raised $5,100 for the Second Harvest Food Bank. Then came fight kits from UFC on Fox 29, UFC 242, and more. One particularly meaningful moment? When Khabib Nurmagomedov donated his walkout shirt to help Poirier, and even UFC boss Dana White joined in to raise over $200,000 for the foundation after their 2019 title clash.

So, what comes next? Retirement, yes, but not before ‘The Diamond’ gets one final walk beneath the lights, this time, with a Grammy-winning icon at his side!

Dustin Poirier taps in Lil Wayne for post-fight honor as his career comes full circle at UFC 318

In a twist that has sent rumbles through the MMA sphere, UFC 318 just added another Louisiana legend to the main event spotlight. Rap royalty, Lil Wayne, isn’t just walking Dustin Poirier to the Octagon. He’s also wrapping the BMF belt around the winner’s waist!

The man whose voice echoed in the arena when Poirier made his UFC debut will now lead him out one last time, in a rare full-circle moment. At the pre-fight press conference, ‘The Diamond’ confessed, “My first fight in the UFC, I walked out to Wayne. My last fight, he’s going to walk me out. That’s crazy. That just shows you if you chase your dreams, anything’s possible.”

But the rapper won’t stop at the walkout. Poirier, when asked who should place the belt around his waist if he wins, didn’t hesitate as he stated, “Let Weezy do it.” The Louisiana crowd erupted. And surprisingly, even Poirier’s opponent, Max Holloway, was all in as he added with a smile, “I’m not going to disagree with that.”

After all, it’s a nod to UFC tradition, as Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson handed Jorge Masvidal the inaugural BMF belt in 2019. From auctioning fight kits to building futures, and now sharing the spotlight with Lil Wayne, Dustin Poirier’s farewell is more than a fight; it’s a celebration of purpose. As the cage door closes for the last time at UFC 318, one thing is clear: ‘The Diamond’ may be done throwing punches, but his impact will echo in the sport for generations to come.