Apr 13, 2019; Atlanta, GA, USA; (Editors Note: Graphic Content) Max Holloway (red gloves) fights Dustin Poirier (blue gloves) during UFC 236 at State Farm Arena. Poirier won by unanimous decision. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

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Max Holloway Suggests The Tables Could Turn On The ‘Point Down’ In Fight With Dustin Poirier!

Ahead of their BMF clash, Max Holloway acknowledges the Dustin Poirier’s point down mentality that he brings to the Octagon!

Max Holloway has carved out a unique niche in the UFC. He’s the guy who points to the canvas and invites his opponents to throw down in the final seconds. It’s become his signature move, and honestly, it takes some serious confidence to pull off something like that. Most fighters would just coast to the finish line, but Holloway thrives on creating those jaw dropping moments that get people talking for months afterward.

The Hawaiian fighter turned this risky strategy into pure gold at UFC 300 when he knocked out Justin Gaethje with literally one second left on the clock. He was already cruising to an easy decision win, but instead of playing it safe, he pointed down and invited Gaethje to bang it out. The result was one of the most memorable knockouts in recent UFC history, with Gaethje crashing face first to the canvas as the horn sounded. That moment didn’t just win him the fight. It made him the most talked about fighter on one of the biggest cards of all time. Now he prepares to fight Dustin Poirier at UFC 318 and he is not sure if the point down will be his doing!

Max Holloway Reveals Dustin Poirier Might Beat Him To The Point Down

Holloway is already thinking about whether he will pull the same move again. He thinks Poirier might actually beat him to it this time. During a recent interview via MMA Fighting, Holloway admitted he wouldn’t be surprised if Poirier initiated the point down moment himself, especially since this is his retirement fight.

“With Dustin, he’s a point down guy, too. So I wouldn’t be surprised if he started it, if he initiated it. At the end of the day, I mean you’ve got to. If we get to the fifth round with the 10 seconds left, I think he might beat me to it and point down first. For sure, I’m going to happily accept that any day of the week.”

Max Holloway recognises that Dustin Poirier may be the one to point down on Saturday night 👇 #UFC318 | Saturday | LIVE on TNT Sports & discovery+ pic.twitter.com/fFuJ7zqdtX
— UFC on TNT Sports (@ufcontnt) July 15, 2025

Holloway seemed genuinely excited about the possibility of Poirier starting the final seconds slugfest. For Holloway, these viral moments aren’t just about entertainment value, they are strategic career moves. He knows that in today’s UFC landscape, moments matter more than anything else. A spectacular finish can catapult a fighter straight into title contention. Meanwhile a boring decision win might leave them stuck in the rankings. Holloway is betting that if he can recreate his UFC 300 magic against Poirier, he will find himself right in the lightweight title picture almost immediately!

(Image Credit: John David Mercer – Imagn Images)

Dustin Poirier

Max Holloway

UFC 318

Zaid Quraishi

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I am a dedicated MMA and Boxing content writer at The Playoffs. I was instantly hooked on MMA after watching the fight between Lyoto Machida vs. Gegard Mousasi back in 2014, and since then, i have been an avid writer with a deep love for the sport and its techniques, providing readers with a thorough understanding of the sport. My favorite aspect of working at The Playoffs is the creative freedom it provides. The diverse range of topics, from listicles and SEO to news articles, keeps me engaged and motivates me to continuously improve my skills! I aim to capture the excitement of the combat sports world in my writing, acting as the middleman between fighters and their die-hard fans. It is kind of like a referee, but with words!