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Stream UFC 318 on ESPN+ https://plus.espn.com/ufc/ppv
Dustin Poirier reflects on the beginnings of his martial arts journey in Louisiana and early days inside the Octagon ahead of the final fight of his career vs. Max Holloway.
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Video Transcript
[Applause]
Teddy Atlas told me talking about my
career, he he said, "It's hard to see
the picture when you're standing that
close to the frame."
I think one day when when the smoke
clears and I'm really done fighting, I
can look back and be proud of
everything.
My mom put me in wrestling when I was 9
years old, and I didn't even know they
had mixed martial arts gyms in
Louisiana. That's how early the sport
was for me. And I ran into some guys who
were training their boxing for mixed
martial arts at a boxing gym and uh went
to their gym and never went back to the
boxing gym.
Can I tell the people it's like a soo
walking out in the MGM Grand with the
UFC gloves on, fighting out of the
Gladiators Academy.
It was amazing. You know, my first win
in the UFC is a night I'll never forget.
First we've seen of Dustin Porier in the
octagon, but he is really putting on a
show.
Yes.
Hard work, baby.
It's tough to say like the mindset I was
in back then, but I was young and
really believed I was the best in the
world.
And ignorance is bliss. Who ain't got
jiujitsu.
Oh, he tagged on your left, Mike. He
heard it up top. It is
just right.
Obviously, I got better as as a fighter.
I've had a lot of big fights in the UFC,
main events, and I just knew who I was.
I was more acquainted with myself. I I
knew all that mattered was when the bell
rings.
Oh my goodness.
Oh, busting wide.
Dustin Porier is a savage.
Seems like Dustin's getting comfortable
with the boxing range, too, now.
That leg is crushed right now.
It's starting to get dead. Beating
Connor in Abu Dhabi, it just felt like
it was uh it was meant to be. When they
called me with that fight, I was I knew
I was going to win. I didn't care what
he did or what he said or whoever was
across from me under those lights that
night.
Louisiana,
I was going to get my hand raised.
What goes through your mind right now as
you think about making the last walk to
the UFC Octagon?
I'm scared of it. I'm scared of it. It's
uh it's bittersweet. You know,
I've done this longer than I haven't.
After becoming a father, I realized like
fighting was who I was and what I did.
Everything got kind of put in
perspective. It's not everything.
[Music]
Now I can see
us.
But I'm thankful for the journey, you
know. I'm I'm I'm thankful for it all.
You know, it's it's beautiful when it
works out and it's beautiful when it
doesn't. If you embrace it all,
when I lay the gloves down, there's
nobody else like that. I would rather
have fought my last fight than Max
Holloway.
[Music]
Bringing it home and where it all
started. I love Louisiana. New Orleans
is a special place to me and I kind of I
wear it proudly that I'm the reason UFC
is coming back to Louisiana.
Louisiana baby. But this one and it
being my last one being home in
Louisiana, New Orleans, it's incredible.
[Applause]
[Music]