UFC 318: Holloway v Poirier 3 predictions & betting picks

Get UFC 318 predictions and betting picks for every fight on the PPV main card, including Holloway vs Poirier 3 and Costa vs Kopylov.

Sports Betting Tips

by Cayne Pitstock

July 16, 2025 0

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The UFC returns to New Orleans on Saturday, July 19, with a star-studded PPV card featuring the long-awaited rematch between Max Holloway and Dustin Poirier. With legends retiring, contenders rising, and violent matchups lined up from top to bottom, UFC 318 is shaping up as one of the best cards of the year.

Here’s your full breakdown of the UFC 318 main card, including our UFC betting picks for each fight.

UFC 318 main card preview

Max Holloway vs Dustin Poirier 3

Max Holloway (26-8) has done everything in the game — except beat Dustin Poirier. He’s looked revitalized at lightweight, especially after knocking out Justin Gaethje to claim the BMF belt, and his output and chin remain elite.

Dustin Poirier (30-9) is set to retire after this fight, and he’ll be going all-in in front of his home crowd in Louisiana. He’s already beaten Holloway twice and still carries serious power in both hands. If he lands clean, we could get a storybook ending.

Dustin Poirier by KO/TKO

+325 @

Paulo Costa vs Roman Kopylov

Paulo Costa (14-4) is a wild-card with knockout power and aggression, but his cardio continues to be his undoing. He hasn’t looked like himself in recent fights, going 1-4 since 2020 and fading badly in high-volume matchups.

Roman Kopylov (14-3) has found his rhythm in the UFC, with five wins in his last six — including four by knockout. His striking is crisp and calculated, and if Costa tires again, Kopylov has the patience to pick him apart and finish late.

Roman Kopylov by KO/TKO

+325 @

Kevin Holland vs Daniel Rodriguez

Kevin Holland (28-13) is one of the most entertaining fighters in the UFC, and he’s coming in hot with back-to-back finishes over Vicente Luque and Gunnar Nelson. He’s tall, unorthodox, and dangerous everywhere, with underrated grappling that he only uses when he feels like it.

Daniel Rodriguez (19-5) is a durable southpaw with solid boxing, but his speed has slowed and his defense remains leaky. Against a creative finisher like Holland, one mistake could be his undoing — especially if the fight hits the mat.

Kevin Holland by submission

+300 @

Dan Ige vs Patricio Freire

Dan Ige (19-9) is a pressure-heavy brawler with solid boxing and endless cardio, and he’s more than capable of going three hard rounds with anyone. He’s coming off some tough fights but has consistently tested himself against elite competition.

Patricio “Pitbull” Freire (36-8) is one of the most decorated fighters in Bellator history and now looks to prove himself inside the UFC. He struggled on debut against Yair Rodriguez, but he’s still dangerous with his compact striking and slick grappling. He should be able to win this as the underdog with the top online betting sites.

Patricio Freire to win

+175 @

Michael Johnson vs Daniel Zellhuber

Michael Johnson (23-19) has been in the UFC since 2010 and has notable wins over Dustin Poirier and Tony Ferguson, but at 39, he’s clearly past his prime. While he still has fast hands and good footwork, he’s been vulnerable to grappling and tends to fade late.

Daniel Zellhuber (15-2) is a young, rangy striker with a nasty submission game when he chooses to grapple. If he mixes things up and stays patient, this is a golden opportunity to make a statement against a fading veteran.