Get the raw, unfiltered breakdown of UFC 318! Our hosts dive deep into every main card fight, offering bold predictions and reacting live to the action. From unexpected upsets like Michael Johnson’s win to the BMF war between Holloway and Poirier, catch all the insights and watch highlights. Hear why some parlays were busted and what makes a good cannoli! A must-listen for every male combat sports fan.
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Saturday night brought us UFC 318 from New Orleans, and the Ringside Report MMA crew was locked and loaded for what turned out to be a night of surprises, brutal wars, and enough wardrobe malfunctions to make Janet Jackson proud. Dave Simon, Fred Garcia, and AJ D’Alesio delivered their signature unfiltered commentary as the octagon served up a main card packed with unexpected outcomes and classic battles.

UFC 318 delivered some wild fights and unexpected outcomes, especially with the underdogs making a strong showing. The main event between Holloway and Poirier was a classic, highlighting both fighters’ toughness and skill, even if it didn’t end in a knockout. The hosts provided plenty of spirited commentary, mixing fight analysis with entertaining tangents, making for a truly “uncensored” watch-along.

The promotion returned to the Big Easy for the sixth time since 2015, and boy, did they make it count. From ripped shorts to ricotta cheese debates, this watch-along had everything you’d expect from the Ringside Report crew – and a few things you definitely wouldn’t.

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UFC 318 Main Card Madness: When Underdogs Bite Back

Michael Johnson vs. Daniel Zellhuber: The Great Shorts Disaster of 2025

What started as a potential showcase for rising prospect Daniel Zellhuber quickly turned into a comedy of errors when Michael Johnson’s shorts decided to stage their rebellion early in round one.

“Michael Johnson just threw something. Something fell, and Michael Johnson threw it. Was it his mouthpiece? What did he throw?” Fred Garcia wondered aloud as Johnson’s gear began to break down systematically.

Round 1: The opening frame was dominated by talk of Johnson’s wardrobe malfunction. ” How do you rip those a Pete of Zellhuber shorts?” Fred continued, as the veteran’s shorts split in multiple places. “No, Johnson, really? The left part is like you don’t see it right now, that’s the other side.”

AJ D’Alesio was equally bewildered: “And those shorts are not easy to rip.” The humor wasn’t lost on Fred: “It’s a bad look from and nothing happened.”

Despite the clothing crisis, Johnson managed to out-strike Zellhuber in a slow-paced round. “We’re mostly talking about the shorts because they’re just kind of jabbing at air right now,” Fred noted. The most significant moment came when Johnson landed a low blow, prompting Fred to exclaim: “A kick to the balls from Michael Johnson to Daniel Zellhuber.”

Round 2: Zellhuber adjusted his game plan, utilizing his reach and kicking game effectively. “He’s got his legs look where his yeah Fred compared to Michael Johnson. Yeah, like it’s ridiculous. That’s why he’s going straight to the kicking game,” AJ observed. “Like he’s trying to throw those combos, but he has to get in, and Zellhuber man just is waiting for that shot.”

Despite Zellhuber’s tactical improvements, Fred defended Johnson’s performance: “I feel you’re a little bit harsh on Johnson, and he, yeah, as Zellhuber is winning this round, but Johnson has had some good moments. Look at the significant strikes. Actually, he’s had more strikes.”

Round 3: The final frame saw more of Zellhuber’s kicking game, with AJ giving him “a slight edge to Zellhuber.” Fred agreed: “Yeah, I think so, Zellhuber has a bit of a slight lead here in this round, yeah, yeah, I mean he’s keeping him away with those little oblique kicks. He’s landing some good jabs, those.

The upset came when Johnson won via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28), leaving AJ shocked: “I’m surprised.” and “He underestimated him for sure.” Fred could only muster: “Yeah, I think so. Wow.”

Patricio Pitbull vs. Dan Ige: Bellator Invasion Succeeds

Former Bellator champion Patricio Pitbull made his successful UFC debut at UFC 318 against Hawaiian scrapper Dan Ige in a grinding three-round battle that showcased both fighters’ toughness.

Round 1: Pitbull immediately went to his wrestling, securing early takedowns. “I don’t like where his head is, Pitbull right now. He’s got to get that head out because he’s,” AJ warned, noting potential submission dangers.

Fred broke down Pitbull’s strategy: “controlling the legs and he’s looking to see, but he’s just trying to keep Ige down. You know Ige clearly is trying to pop back to his feet and is good at it. Pitbull just kind of keeps trying to keep him grounded. Get into a control position.

The hosts noted Ige’s potential injury concerns, with AJ observing: “Maybe it’s my eyes or whatever, but I feel like he’s limping a bit.” He attributed it to “that foot sweep.”

Round 2: Pitbull continued hunting takedowns while Ige looked to strike. “If Pitbull can get one of those takedowns to stick, you know where he could get some ground control time, do some damage ground and pound. That’d be great for him,” Fred analyzed.

The round’s highlight came when Pitbull landed a significant flurry: “And Pitbull had some big success there with a big flurry against the fence.” AJ felt the impact: “Yeah, I have a feeling the ref is going to stop this if it continues.”

Round 3: Drama struck when Pitbull ate a knee attempting a takedown. “Oh he went for a takedown and he ate a knee to the face and then fell down,” Fred described. “Yeah, he ate a knee right to the nose.”

Despite the setback, Pitbull rallied to secure a late takedown and control, earning the unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) for his first UFC victory.

Kevin Holland vs. Daniel Rodriguez: A Tale of Two Halves

This UFC 318 welterweight scrap delivered the kind of momentum swings that make MMA beautiful and frustrating in equal measure.

Round 1: Holland utilized his reach advantage early. “Holland seems to be winning the exchanges by keeping some distance from him,” Fred observed. However, Rodriguez connected with a shot that dropped Holland, though it appeared partially due to a slip: “I heard him and then he caught him with one short punch. Wasn’t moving forward. He timed him perfectly, and Holland slipped.”

Round 2: Rodriguez completely devastatingly flipped the script. “Oh my god. Holland is surviving but Rodriguez is all over him,” Fred exclaimed as Rodriguez unleashed hell. “Oh my god. Rodriguez got up said get up. Holland is in big trouble. I didn’t catch what dropped him but he got dropped with a big punch.”

The hosts thought Holland was finished: “That hammer fist. Oh he went stiff man. Holland I think got knocked out in the referee let it go.” Somehow, Holland survived and managed a crucial takedown with two minutes remaining, completely changing the round’s trajectory.

Round 3: The chaos continued as Holland landed a massive uppercut that dropped Rodriguez. “Holland is looking to finish. Oh, big uppercut from Holland,” Fred called. “Kevin Holland with a bunch of punches here. Oh, the referee is telling Rodriguez to defend himself. He’s just holding on for life.”

But then Holland made a critical error that left Fred frustrated: “You cannot spend the last minute and third round fully mounted eating punches and expect to win a fight.” Holland pulled guard for a triangle attempt that wasn’t there, allowing Rodriguez to take mount and finish strong.

Rodriguez won via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28), with Fred noting Holland “played with his food.”

Paulo Costa vs. Roman Kopylov: The Snoozefest UFC 318 Co-Main

The co-main event proved to be the night’s biggest disappointment, with Costa coasting to a lackluster decision victory.

Round 1: Costa started promisingly, landing heavy leg kicks. “Costa’s looking sharp so far,” Fred noted, though he questioned Costa’s ranking: “Somehow ridiculous though. Right. He said what he has won win in his last five years.” “I mean, if you only have one win in five years, you shouldn’t be ranked.”

Round 2: Costa hurt Kopylov multiple times but failed to capitalize. “Right. From Costa hurts copy love drops him back man,” Fred observed, before noting Costa’s lack of killer instinct: “See if you don’t follow up.” “He stays in one gear, and when he hurts him, he doesn’t turn up for a second year.”

Round 3: The pattern continued with Fred expressing his boredom: “No, I don’t know. I want this fight to end like I’m bored with this.” When Kopylov threw a missed axe kick, Fred sarcastically commented: “And that’s the coolest thing he did all around.”

Costa won via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28), with Fred calling it his “pick for worst fight of the night.”

Holloway Retains Bmf Titlle Gettyimages 2226081492
 Holloway Strikes Poirier in the Main Event at UFC 318 (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)

The UFC 318 Main Event: BMF Championship Glory

Max Holloway vs. Dustin Poirier III: A Fitting Farewell

The main event delivered everything fans hoped for as Max Holloway and Dustin Poirier met for the third time, with Poirier’s career on the line and the BMF title up for grabs.

Round 1: Holloway came out firing, dropping Poirier early. “Didn’t I say I want a first-round knockout. I almost hope you don’t get it. I almost got my wish. Give it to me, Holloway,” Fred excitedly called. Despite eating the knockdown, Poirier showed his legendary toughness, but Holloway’s speed and volume were evident. “End of the first round. I think Holloway won that. He dropped Poirier a couple of times.”

Round 2: Holloway continued his dominance, landing consistently. “Holloway landed big punches on Poirier fully mounted. Dustin Poirier to go. It’s not a turning,” Fred noted. But Poirier’s championship heart shone through as he rallied late in the round, dropping Holloway and attempting a guillotine choke to steal momentum.

Round 3: Poirier carried the momentum forward, with Holloway becoming “a little more apprehensive” due to Poirier’s power. The Diamond landed clean shots and pushed the pace, making it a competitive round.

Round 4: The back-and-forth continued with both men having their moments. “I’m leaning towards Max, man, I’ll be honest, I think round four. It’s close, though,” Fred admitted, noting the competitive nature of the round.

Round 5: Both fighters emptied their tanks in the final frame. The highlight came in the final seconds when Holloway called Poirier to the center to “bang it out,” mirroring his famous finish against Justin Gaethje. However, Poirier chose the smart route, clinching up rather than trading bombs.

Holloway won via unanimous decision (48-47, 49-46, 49-46), retaining the BMF title and sending Poirier into retirement with the respect both warriors deserved.

Side Dishes: The Lighter Side of Fight Night

Cannoli Science with Fred Garcia

Between rounds of Johnson vs. Zellhuber, the conversation somehow turned to Italian pastries. Fred provided a master class in cannoli construction: “You need it’s gotta be the cheese. It’s gotta be ricotta cheese. It cannot be cream.”

This led to a tangent about The Godfather Part III, with AJ recalling: “Remembering Godfather part 3 when he ate the cannoli, the boss, that she spiked the cannoli at the theater.Fred defended the third installment: “I’ve seen one and two a lot, but three was good too, man. There’s a good one.”

Ufc 319: Chimaev Vs. Du Plessis Poster
UFC 319: Chimaev vs. Du Plessis poster

UFC Oversaturation Discussion

The hosts touched on their growing fatigue with the UFC’s relentless schedule. “It’s nice for me to watch UFC. I totally quit watching Fight Night, so I only watch the pay-per-views nowadays,” Fred admitted.

He criticized the promotion’s quantity-over-quality approach: “The UFC is doing so many shows, my point is that they just become kind of irrelevant.” Using a recent example, Fred noted: “They sold tickets, 17000 people went to see Derek Lewis fight Tallison Teixeira in a main event in 2025.”

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Looking Ahead: Chimaev vs. Du Plessis

The hosts briefly previewed the next major pay-per-view featuring Khamzat Chimaev and Dricus Du Plessis. Fred was skeptical about Chimaev’s reliability: “Chimaev’s not gonna make weight. He’s not gonna show up like Chimaev doesn’t show up.”

When pressed for predictions, AJ leaned toward a title change: “I think there’s gonna be a new champ dude.” Fred supported the champion: “Oh, I’m going with. Africa’s favorite son, Dricus Du Plessis.” He added, “I need to see more. I don’t know, Dricus is a beast.”

The UFC 318 Bottom Line

UFC 318 delivered exactly what New Orleans ordered: a night of surprises, heart-stopping action, and enough memorable moments to last until the next pay-per-view. From Michael Johnson’s shorts staging a revolt to Holloway and Poirier giving us one last classic, the card reminded us why we fell in love with this crazy sport in the first place.

The Ringside Report crew provided their signature blend of technical analysis and off-the-wall commentary, proving once again that sometimes the best fight coverage comes with a side of cannoli recipes and wardrobe malfunctions.

📺 Watch the UFC 318 Watch Along replay on YouTube, Rumble, Twitch, or Kick 🎧 Listen to the full episode on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts 💬 Subscribe for weekly episodes and exclusive MMA commentary

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