UFC 318 was already shaping up to deeply tied to Louisiana, and main event fighter Dustin Poirier said Wednesday that Lil Wayne will walk him out to his final battle at the Smoothie King Center.

UFC star Dustin Poirier is set to fight his final MMA match at UFC 318 in New Orleans on July 19, and he’s making it special by walking to the Octagon with famous rapper Lil Wayne by his side. Both Poirier and Wayne are from Louisiana, making it a proud moment for their home state.

Dustin Poirier has been teasing a Lil Wayne walkout for his retirement fight against Max Holloway at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans on Saturday night, but nothing had been confirmed — until now. During UFC 318 media day, Poirier was asked if a Lil Wayne walkout was locked in and “The Diamond” confirmed.

To be sure, Poirier (30-9) has had a decorated career. The former Interim UFC lightweight champion owns 15 wins by knockout and eight by submission, with 13 first-round finishes. “The Diamond” holds wins against Conor McGregor twice, and his two most recent victories are against Benoit Saint Denis and Michael Chandler.

Dustin Poirier’s final UFC walk is building up to be a legendary affair, as the Louisiana native confirmed hip hop icon and New Orleans native Lil Wayne will

UFC lightweight fighter Dustin Poirier says Lil Wayne will walk him out at UFC 318 but he’s keeping his usual track.

It was Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson who first wrapped the belt around Jorge Masvida l at UFC 244, following his win over Nate Diaz in 2019. Then, it was Masvidal who presented the belt to Gaethje and later, Mark Coleman, handing it off to Holloway.