They say diamonds are forever, but in the fight game, this statement is unfortunately untrue.
In a final tribute to one of the best, most influential, and popular fighters to ever grace the Octagon, UFC 318 will be the swan song to the career of Dustin Poirier. Going down live from his home state of Louisiana, you can expect an all-out bayou banger at UFC 318.
With some of the biggest names in the sport scheduled to compete, take the action to the next level by placing a bet on the latest UFC 318 odds.
Max Holloway Moneyline
Below, we’ve featured the best UFC 318 odds from the top UFC betting sites, as well as our picks and predictions for each main card bout with our comprehensive UFC 318 betting preview. With our top moneymaking picks, you’ll be in a great position to win big on this PPV event.
Don’t wait, get some skin in on the fights this Saturday night with our UFC 318 odds and betting preview ahead of the Max Holloway vs. Dustin Poirier trilogy clash.
Michael Johnson vs. Daniel Zellhuber
Best Odds on Johnson to Win: +475 (Sports Interaction)
Best Odds on Zellhuber to Win: -550 (bet365)
Kicking off the main card with a battle between a rising star and a scrappy veteran, Michael “The Menace” Johnson will look to play gatekeeper against Daniel “Golden Boy” Zellhuber.
While he enters UFC 318 riding a two-fight win streak, Johnson’s best fighting days are respectfully behind him. At 39 years old, Johnson has shared the cage with some legendary company, such as Justin Gaethje, Khabib Nurmagomedov, and Nate Diaz. Even with his plethora of experience, this bout is sure to go in favour of the rising lightweight contender, Zellhuber.
Coming off a fight of the year candidate at UFC 306 against Esteban Ribovics, Zellhuber is as hungry and motivated as ever to get back into the win column. Possessing a 13-year age difference, as well as a considerable size advantage against Johnson, Zellhuber is poised to dominate this bout, cruising his way to a decision victory.
Even though Zellhuber has all the physical advantages in this fight, look for Johnson to remain competitive, avoiding getting finished, but still ultimately coming up short against Golden Boy as the Mexican fighter opens UFC 318 with a decisive win.
Prediction: Zellhuber to Win by DEC (+163 @ BetVictor)
Dan Ige vs. Patricio Pitbull
Best Odds on Ige to Win: -210 (bet365)
Best Odds on Pitbull to Win: +180 (Sports Interaction)
In a thrilling clash between two of the top featherweights in the world, Dan “50K” Ige will take on Patricio Pitbull. With both fighters looking to score a big win and vault their way into title contention, look for Ige to edge out the former Bellator great in this scrap.
While Pitbull has carved out a legendary career outside of the UFC, at 38 years old, it is hard to see him besting Ige at the peak of his powers. After being handed a clear-cut loss by Yair Rodriguez in his UFC debut, Pitbull simply doesn’t have the firepower to match up with an explosive fighter like Ige.
A legitimate badass that has gone toe-to-toe with some of the best in the division, Ige is only a few wins away from potentially fighting for the belt. After taking narrow losses to Diego Lopes and Lerone Murphy, Ige bounce back in a big way with a knockout stoppage of Sean Woodson.
With momentum behind him, as well as a distinct six-inch reach advantage, look for Ige to paw away at Pitbull, racking up damaging blows while avoiding and reciprocating shots coming his way. As he continues to out-land Pitbull, watch as Ige pulls away into the deep rounds of the fight, winning outright on the judges’ scorecards.
Prediction: Ige to Win by DEC (+120 @ BET99)
Kevin Holland vs. Daniel Rodriguez
Best Odds on Holland to Win: -500 (BetVictor)
Best Odds on Rodriguez to Win: +380 (bet365)
Reigniting a bout that was originally scheduled for UFC 279, Kevin “Trailblazer” Holland will face off against Daniel “D-Rod” Rodriguez. In a battle between two of the top strikers in the welterweight division, look for Holland to rack up his third win of 2025 as he scores a knockout victory over Rodriguez.
While D-Rod has only ever been knocked out once, with that loss coming at the hands of Ian Machado Garry, Holland has all the tools to put his lights out. With a staggering seven-inch reach advantage in this bout, Holland will be able to utilize his superior size and length to inflict early damage on his opponent.
In return, while he’s coming off of a knockout victory against Santiago Ponzinibbio, Rodriguez isn’t a knockout threat or proven finisher at the UFC level. Facing one of the most dangerous and versatile fighters on the roster, this fight is a straight-up mismatch.
With his ability to dictate the pace of the bout, look for Holland to lead the dance and score massive blows early on into this contest, finishing Rodriguez within two rounds as he continues to push his way toward potential title contention at 170 lbs.
Prediction: Holland to Win by KO/TKO/DQ (+200 @ BET99)
Paulo Costa vs. Roman Kopylov
Best Odds on Costa to Win: +200 (bet365)
Best Odds on Kopylov to Win: -230 (BET99)
In the co-main event of UFC 318, we’ve got a showdown between heavy-handed middleweights on tap as Paulo “Borrachinha” Costa squares off against Roman Kopylov.
While his UFC career hasn’t lived up to the hype he once established as an undefeated title-challenger, you still shouldn’t underestimate the power and skillset of Costa. Having been battle-tested by the very best of the middleweight division in his UFC tenure, there’s nothing Kopylov can show him that will throw him off his game.
Entering this bout as a strong favourite, I firmly believe this is a poorly set line by oddsmakers. While Kopylov has shown strong kickboxing skills as well as solid grappling in the past, he has never faced competition like Costa. In his recent UFC bouts, Kopylov won a controversial split decision against Cesar Almeida, followed up by another debated stoppage win against Chris Curtis with one second remaining in a fight that all three judges had scored 19-19 heading into the final round.
Now set for the biggest fight of his career against a fighter with superior knockout power, better grappling, and an overall greater experience inside the Octagon, look for the underdog Costa to record his first knockout win since 2018, extinguishing the momentum of Kopylov, and regaining some much-needed notoriety at 185 lbs.
Prediction: Costa to Win by KO/TKO/DQ (+550 @ BetVictor)
Max Holloway vs. Dustin Poirier
Best Odds on Holloway to Win: -138 (bet365)
Best Odds on Poirier to Win: +120 (BET99)
In what will be the final trip to the Octagon for a legend of the sport, Max “Blessed” Holloway will be the final opponent in the career of Dustin “The Diamond” Poirier.
While it was Poirier who won both of the previous matchups against Holloway, look for the trilogy to go in favour of the Hawaiian fighter as he hands Poirier a loss in his final MMA bout.
Even though he is at an advanced age in his fighting career, Poirier is certainly no slouch. After pushing Islam Makhachev to the brink in his last time out, the Diamond is set to put on a show for his hometown fans in New Orleans. Even with emotions running at an all-time high for Poirier, expect Holloway to take the win on the judges’ scorecards.
Having continued to evolve his game as he matures in his fight career, Holloway has seemingly begun to find his rhythm as a contender in the lightweight division. With his previous bout at 155 lbs being the legendary final-second knockout to cap off a dominant showing against Justin Gaethje, a fighter who had just come off knocking out Dustin Poirier, Holloway simply has more to fight for in this clash.
There’s no doubt that Poirier is going to give his all in his final UFC bout, but look for Holloway to finally get the upper hand against his longtime rival, spoiling the retirement fight of Poirier, and continuing to propel his way back into title contention at the expense of the Diamond.
Prediction: Holloway to Win by DEC (+175 @ BetVictor)
UFC 318 Prelim Picks
In a night chock-full of excellent matchups, why not place a bet on the prelim action of UFC 318? Below, we’ve highlighted the best bets for the winners of each of the early bouts scheduled with our UFC 318 prelim picks. Score yourself a big win before the main card begins with our UFC 318 prelim picks and predictions.
- Judice by KO/TKO/DQ (+375)
- Ferreira by KO/TKO/DQ (-138)
- Ryan Spann by KO/TKO/DQ (+150)
- Jimmy Crute by KO/TKO/DQ (+375)
- Islam Dulatov by KO/TKO/DQ (-150)
- Ateba Gautier by KO/TKO/DQ (-275)
- Nikolay Veretennikov by DEC (+250)
- Marvin Vettori by DEC (+240)
- Vinicius Oliveira by DEC (+162)