Dustin Poirier nearly changed UFC history with a wild proposal for his retirement fight, but UFC president Dana White wasn’t having it. Poirier, preparing for his final Octagon appearance against Max Holloway later this year in New Orleans, revealed he had pitched a one-night BMF tournament involving himself and three other top fighters.
Dustin Poirier’s Wild BMF Tournament Idea Shot Down by Dana White
Ahead of securing a bout with Holloway for the BMF title, Poirier met with Dana White in Las Vegas to discuss plans for his farewell fight. In a recent appearance on “The Ariel Helwani Show,” Poirier detailed how he pitched a four-man, one-night tournament featuring himself, Justin Gaethje, Max Holloway, and Dan Hooker — an idea he thought would make for an unforgettable sendoff.
“I was telling (Dana) to do a BMF tournament,” Poirier explained. “He thought I meant a few-months-long thing, but I was talking about a one-night tournament.”
Poirier envisioned fighting multiple times in one night, suggesting a 10-minute first round or modified rounds to fit regulatory limits. However, White immediately shut it down, citing that no athletic commission would sanction so many rounds in one night under modern MMA regulations.
Fans, however, were instantly captivated by Poirier’s wild plan. One commented, “Absolute psychopath.”
Absolute psychopath. pic.twitter.com/QcQxGiNCgn
— MacMally 🍀 (@MacMallyMMA) April 28, 2025
Another joked about hosting the event outside the United States, where the rules might be more flexible. “Why not just run shit like this in Mexico or south/middle America or smth occasionally? I mean, the UFC really isn’t tied to location that hard.” One fan suggested that White collaborate with Turki Alalshikh to get it done: “Sounds like a job for Saudi Arabia.”
Some were against it, too. One individual blamed brain trauma. “That CTE already hitting the Diamond,” the user wrote. Another was interested in seeing it, but was aware of the harm it would cause the fighters. “I’d pay to see this, but it has to be to the death for everyone, or else this is pointless,” the tweet read.
One went as far as hoping President Donald Trump would go ahead and sanction it.
Despite the overwhelming fan support, Poirier had to settle for a single fight, but his ambitious pitch earned him even greater respect from the MMA community.
The UFC hasn’t operated an actual tournament-style format since its early days, long before Zuffa LLC bought the company in 2001. While fans continue to call for a return to tournament brackets, especially with multiple divisions logjammed, the UFC has remained cautious, prioritizing fighter safety and commission regulations.
Dustin Poirier Thanks Dana White for Granting his Retirement Wish
Despite rejecting the tournament idea, Poirier couldn’t be more thankful for how the UFC handled his retirement plans. The Louisiana native had long desired to end his storied career fighting in front of his home crowd, and to his surprise, UFC officials worked hard to make it happen.
Speaking to MMA Junkie, Poirier said, “I’m the one that reached out to the UFC and said I would love to retire at home. And to my surprise, they obliged and said, ‘Ok, we’ll do everything we can to make it happen.’ It’s amazing when a company works with you like that and has respect for you.”
He continued, “People don’t understand how much goes on behind the scenes. These dates and locations are pre-planned for a long time. For them to scrap something and bring the cage to Louisiana and set it up for me to retire at home… Dude. It’s a dream come true.”
Poirier will face Max Holloway for the BMF belt at UFC 318, aiming to close the chapter on his incredible career with one last memorable performance in front of a roaring Louisiana crowd.