Mandatory Credit: Jessica Alcheh-USA TODAY Sports

What Song Will Dustin Poirier Walk Out to at UFC 318? All About Dustin Poirier Walkout for His Retirement Fight

Poirier sticks with James Brown for his final UFC walk, this time with Lil Wayne by his side in a Louisiana farewell.

Mandatory Credit: Jessica Alcheh-USA TODAY Sports

In what promises to be a legacy-defining night, Dustin Poirier will step into the Octagon one last time at UFC 318 in his home state of Louisiana. Set to close out a storied MMA career spanning over a decade, “The Diamond” (30-9) will face longtime rival Max Holloway in a highly anticipated trilogy bout.

This time for Holloway’s symbolic BMF title. With Poirier holding two previous wins over the Hawaiian, the stakes couldn’t be higher as the Lafayette native looks to finish his career on his terms, in front of his people, with history on the line.

ONE. LAST. TIME.@BlessedMMA vs @DustinPoirier

[ LIVE on @ESPNPlus PPV | SAT | 10pmET ] pic.twitter.com/GabbGTzRrJ
— UFC (@ufc) July 17, 2025

Dustin Poirier Walkout Song UFC 318

For his final UFC entrance, Poirier is sticking to what’s become tradition. His walkout song will once again be “The Boss” by James Brown. It’s a track that’s followed him through some of his biggest career moments. But this time, there’s a twist.

At Wednesday’s pre-fight press conference, the 36-year-old lightweight confirmed that rapper Lil Wayne will join him during the walkout. Poirier told reporters, “It will be a little bit of James Brown, a little bit of Wayne. Yeah, Wayne’s walking out with me… I have to (stick with the James Brown song). I’ve paid the cost to be the boss. On my last one, I can’t go that far away from it. I need to hear that. I need to feel that vibe before I fight someone.”

Imagine the scenes of Dustin Poirier walking to the octagon for the last time, in his home state of Louisiana, with another Louisiana legend, Lil Wayne, by his side singing ‘Drop the World’ ⚜️ 💎

“My first fight in the UFC, when I fought Josh Grispi, I walked out to Lil Wayne.… pic.twitter.com/kpHAd8gOhV
— AFeldmanMMA (@afeldMMA) April 28, 2025

Though it’s unclear whether Lil Wayne, an outspoken UFC fan and Poirier supporter, will perform live, his presence alone marks a powerful moment of synergy between hip-hop and MMA. While the UFC has largely shied away from live musical walkouts, rare exceptions have occurred, most notably Conor McGregor’s unforgettable UFC 189 entrance with Sinead O’Connor.

Dana White has openly expressed his dislike for such performances, but he has shown flexibility when it comes to celebrities accompanying fighters to the cage. In recent examples, Jack Black and Kyle Gass walked out with Stephen Thompson at UFC 296, while Mark Zuckerberg escorted Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298.

DUSTIN POIRIER'S WALKOUT MUSIC 💎🔥 #UFC302 pic.twitter.com/zTUhKCRyoT
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) June 2, 2024

Whether Lil Wayne raps a bar or not, this walk to the Octagon is a tribute to a fighter who’s given everything to the sport and who plans to leave the game with the same swagger and soul that carried him through it.

Mandatory Image Credit: Jessica Alcheh-USA TODAY Sports

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I’m an academic turned sports writer from Raipur, India, specializing in the NFL, MMA, and tennis at The Playoffs. I previously wrote for Sportskeeda and hold a B.A. and M.A. in History. My journey into sports media began far from the field, rooted in the arts and sciences. Funny enough, I didn’t grow up a sports fan; I used to see it all as just noise. But a fateful writing job introduced me to the world of sports, and what began as a gig quickly became a passion. I understood those voices aren’t noise; they’re emotions of true sports fans, and now I am one of them, writing with the same energy I once questioned.