Dustin Poirier won’t sell Max Holloway short to upset Justin Gaethje at UFC 300.
Gaethje (25-4 MMA, 8-4 UFC) defends his BMF title against former featherweight champion Holloway (25-7 MMA, 21-7 UFC) on April 13 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas – the belt he claimed with a head-kick knockout of Poirier at UFC 291.
Holloway opened up as a slight underdog against Gaethje, but having competed against both fighters twice, Poirier (29-8 MMA, 21-7 UFC) believes Holloway has what it takes to beat Gaethje.
“I respect both guys. Both guys are great fighters. I think I would put money on Max, just him being the (under)dog,” Poirier said on “The MMA Hour.” “I see a lot of people online saying that ‘Max is going to be undersized.’ Max is a big guy.
“Him and Gaethje probably walk around at the same weight. Max isn’t a small guy. And the striking, the timing of Max, his range, his durability, it’s a coin toss. But if I was betting, I would bet Max.”
Poirier split his two appearances against Gaethje, knocking him out in 2018, then getting finished in their rematch this past July at UFC 291. “The Diamond” defeated Holloway twice, submitting him in 2012, then outlasting him in a Fight of the Night war to claim the interim lightweight title at UFC 236 in 2019.
He will look to put a halt to rising contender Benoit Saint-Denis (13-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC) when the pair meet in a five-round co-main event at UFC 299 on March 9 from Kaseya Center in Miami.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 300.
