Dustin Poirier is ready for his final ride. At UFC 318, the hometown hero will walk into the Octagon in New Orleans for the last time. The lights will shine, the fans will roar, and Max Holloway will be standing across from him once again—this time with the BMF title on the line.

But while many see this as a poetic ending to a legendary career, a former two-division champion isn’t so sure. While ‘The Diamond’ has traded wins and losses in his last 4-fights, this one might be different. Why? According to Daniel Cormier, there’s a ‘curse’ looming above the Louisiana native, one which claimed a victim recently at UFC Kansas City!

Dustin Poirier warned about his retirement fight at home by Daniel Cormier

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Daniel Cormier laid out his apprehension for Dustin Poirier’s decision to hang up his gloves in his hometown. The former ‘champ-champ’ stated, “Look man, everybody wants to fight at home, but it’s not always the best. Think about this, the guys that have fought at home in a retirement fight, how’s it gone?”

And history, he warned, is not on Poirier’s side. Cormier isn’t just blowing smoke. He’s seen how this story plays out. Take Anthony Smith, for example. The UFC gave him a retirement fight in Kansas City—his backyard. Instead of a warm farewell, Smith got picked apart and left bloodied on the canvas.

Cormier continued, “Not only did he get his butt kicked, he got into a fight with a fan after losing like that.” The worst part? That fan was reported to be from Nebraska after the event, ‘Lionheart’s own roots. Cormier then made a chilling observation as he confessed, “Nobody likes a person falling more than the people that may come from the same situation as them.”

What’s supposed to be a love letter from the crowd sometimes becomes a lynch mob of silent critics. And that’s a wound no knockout can cover. Still not convinced? The UFC veteran and commentator then brought up Chan Sung Jung, or as most fans know him, ‘The Korean Zombie’. According to Cormier, “Korean Zombie was supposed to retire at home against who? Max Holloway. In Korea. Gets starched. It’s not always good because so much comes with fighting at home.”

Though Cormier mistakenly said it happened in Korea, that fight actually unfolded in Singapore at UFC Fight Night 225. Yet his point still stands. The result was a haunting third-round KO that left a generation’s MMA hero slumped unconscious on the canvas. As such, Cormier summed it up bluntly, “So much comes with fighting at home. More ticket requests, more people that want to be around you…” It’s not just a fight. It’s often a circus. And the emotional weight of performing for your city can be heavier than any opponent’s fists. So, where does that leave Dustin Poirier vs Max Holloway?

The two have danced before—twice, in fact. In their first bout in 2012, Poirier submitted a baby-faced Holloway in the first round. Seven years later, he beat him again in a war for the interim lightweight strap. Now, they meet for a third and final time, with pride, legacy, and the BMF belt at stake.

Plus, Poirier has his own curse of losing title fights. The only time he won a title fight in the UFC was against Holloway for the interim lightweight belt. Poirier has lost three undisputed lightweight title fights and one BMF title bout. His BMF title attempt ended in a headkick KO last time, against Justin Gaethje. And Holloway sent Gaethje face-first into the canvas at UFC 300, to win the BMF belt. The math is not exactly in favor of Poirier here.

But while the ‘curse’ might loom above his head, ‘The Diamond’ isn’t worried about it at the moment. Because for Poirier, UFC 318 won’t just be the end of a career—it’ll be a show. A curtain call. So what better way to bow out than with a hometown anthem and a hip-hop icon by his side?

‘The Diamond’ reveals his idea to bring his journey full circle against Max Holloway at UFC 318

Dustin Poirier, ever the sentimental warrior, recently hinted at switching up his traditional walkout music for one last ride. And not just to any track, but to one echoing his roots! During his appearance on ‘The Ariel Helwani Show’, the Louisiana native opened up the vault of nostalgia as he confessed, “My first fight in the UFC, when I fought Josh Grispi, I walked out to Lil Wayne. If Lil Wayne was to walk me out in New Orleans, I’ll walk out to Lil Wayne in my last fight.”

The idea? Pure fireworks. A living rap legend walking out with one of MMA’s most beloved figures in a city that raised them both. Poirier even teased a departure from his iconic walkout track, James Brown’s ‘The Boss.’

From his Octagon debut in 2011 to now, more than 30 UFC appearances later, Poirier wants to exit the same way he entered: loud, proud, and unmistakably Louisiana. His last walkout at UFC 302 nearly served as his farewell. That night, he fused Rihanna’s Diamonds, as sung by the late Willie Spence, with James Brown’s soulful energy. The mashup left fans emotional. But UFC 318? That’s got potential for a once-in-a-lifetime performance. Because if Lil Wayne answers the call, the roof might come off in New Orleans!

To wrap things up, whether he exits on a high or stumbles under the weight of home pressure, Dustin Poirier’s legacy has already been written in grit, gold, and unforgettable moments. Do you think Daniel Cormier’s warning about the ‘curse’ will come true? Why or why not? Let us know in the comments below!