And that’s a wrap! After 15 unforgettable years under the UFC banner, Dustin Poirier’s legendary journey came to a close at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans. The “uncrowned prince” stayed true to his moniker, as Max Holloway finally got his long-awaited revenge, defending the BMF title with a unanimous decision win. For five relentless rounds, the two warriors delivered the war they promised—but when the dust settled, it was ‘Blessed’ who stood tall. Watching from afar, Jon Jones couldn’t contain his emotions, taking to social media to salute Poirier’s final dance.

Dustin Poirier shone like a diamond against Max Holloway, but he fell short on the scorecards. However, with this fight, he bid adieu to the world of fighting. Resonating with the emotions of MMA fans across the globe, Jon Jones took to his X handle to react, and his post was as hilarious as it gets. When Max Holloway threw a spinning back kick to Poirier’s throat, Jones wrote, “Spinning back kick to the throat, that was nice.” This was an obvious nod to his spinning back kick finish of Stipe Miocic last year at UFC 309.

Interestingly, Jon Jones had no idea that Dustin Poirier was retiring tonight. When a fan reminded him, he couldn’t believe it. Furthermore, another fan chimed in, noting that Poirier wanted to retire on his own terms—just like Jones—only that Jones received hate for it. Responding to the fans, Jones wrote, “Yeah, there’s no double standards, let’s just call it a weird coincidence to keep everybody comfortable.” Well, to be unbiased, Jones did hold up the division unlike Poirier.

As the 15-year-old rivalry ended with a 2-1 score in favor of Dustin Poirier, Jon Jones wrote, “Now that’s what you call a rivalry.” In the end, as Poirier retires from the game, Jones had a heartfelt message for him, “Congratulations on an amazing career, Dustin, thank you for the years of entertainment. Now go enjoy your retirement.” Well, Jon Jones is not the only person who gave a message to ‘The Diamond.’

Islam Makhachev, Nate Diaz, Jorge Masvidal, and many more lined up for Dustin Poirier’s retirement

You know you’re one of the favorites when all the UFC legends come together to give you a proper send-off—and that’s exactly what happened with Dustin Poirier. Justin Gaethje, who was in attendance at UFC 318, looked visibly emotional when the camera panned to him, as one of his greatest rivals finally chose to walk the road of retirement. Islam Makhachev took to his X handle to upload a photo of Poirier and wrote, “Congratulations, Dustin. You’re truly one of the greatest to ever step into the cage. It was an honor and a privilege to share it with you.”

Jorge Masvidal took time out of his hand to write a big message for the former interim lightweight champ, “Congrats on an awesome career, Dustin! It’s been great sharing this journey with you. Thanks for all the good times and everything you brought to the team. Enjoy retirement, you’ve more than earned it.” Nate Diaz was at a crossroads as he took a cheeky jibe at both Max Holloway and Dustin Poirier through his X post, “This fight for my belt #UFC318.” 

Even Conor McGregor couldn’t resist reacting to Poirier’s retirement: “We love a good scrapper in the company, and them two boys are just that — scrappers,” McGregor stated in a now-deleted tweet. “Awesome stuff! Great fights, lads. Bravo! R.I.Pea Head!'” As Dustin Poirier retires from the sport, he leaves a legacy for the younglings to follow.