Apr 12, 2025; Miami, Florida, UNITED STATES; Dan Ige (red gloves) fights against Sean Woodson (blue gloves) during UFC 314 at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

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UFC 318 Gets New High Profile Featherweight Bout!

UFC 318, which is set to showcase Dustin Poirier vs Max Holloway, gets a new high level featherweight bout added to the mix!

Apr 12, 2025; Miami, Florida, UNITED STATES; Dan Ige (red gloves) fights against Sean Woodson (blue gloves) during UFC 314 at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

The UFC has been working overtime to stack their upcoming cards with exciting matchups. July is shaping up to be a monster month for fight fans. UFC 318 in New Orleans already had Max Holloway defending his BMF title against Dustin Poirier in what will be Poirier’s retirement fight. Now the promotion has added another mouth-watering bout to sweeten the deal even more.

Patricio ‘Pitbull’ Freire finally gets his chance to bounce back from a rough UFC debut. The former Bellator champion looked out of place in his first Octagon appearance against Yair Rodriguez at UFC 314. Rodriguez picked him apart over three rounds, leaving many fans wondering if Pitbull’s best days were behind him.

The loss stung extra hard because Freire had dominated outside the UFC for years. He was the king of Bellator’s featherweight division and held titles in two weight classes. Coming to the UFC was supposed to be his victory lap, not a reality check.

Patricio Pitbull Gets His Redemption Shot Against Dan Ige

Dan Ige called out Pitbull right after his win over Sean Woodson at UFC 314. The Hawaiian fighter knows a big name when he sees one. Ige had been stuck in a two-fight losing streak before bouncing back with that third-round stoppage. He needed momentum, and beating a former Bellator champion would give him exactly that. The UFC matchmakers listened and delivered.

🚨 Dan Ige will fight Patricio Pitbull at #UFC318 in New Orleans on July 19th 🔥

(via @leoguimaraesmma) pic.twitter.com/E6Cw6AX5u4
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) June 4, 2025

Patricio Freire brings serious credentials to this fight despite his recent setback. The 37-year-old Brazilian has wins over some massive names throughout his career. He knocked out Michael Chandler when Chandler was still crushing people in Bellator. He also beat AJ McKee and Juan Archuleta during his championship reign. Pitbull has legit skills and knockout power in both hands. His problem against Rodriguez wasn’t talent, it was ring rust and adjusting to a new environment.

The timing works perfectly for both men. Ige sits at number 14 in the rankings and needs to keep climbing the ladder. A win over Freire would put him back in the thick of contention at featherweight. For Pitbull, this represents a must-win situation. Another loss could send him spiraling down the rankings before he even gets started in the UFC.

Pitbull knows he can’t afford another slow start like he had against Rodriguez. The Brazilian needs to come out aggressive and impose his will early. Ige will be looking to repeat his Woodson performance by finding his range and picking his spots carefully. Both fighters have finishing ability, so fans shouldn’t expect this one to go the distance. UFC 318 just became a must-watch event for even casual fans!

(Image Credit: Sam Navarro – Imagn Images)

Dan Ige

Patricio Freire

UFC 318

Zaid Quraishi

mma

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!