NEW ORLEANS – MMA Junkie is on scene and reporting live from Friday's UFC 318 fighter weigh-ins. The early weigh-ins take place at the UFC host hotel in New Orleans and precede the ceremonial weigh-ins for the fans, which take place at 6 p.m. ET at Smoothie King Center. The same venue hosts Saturday's event (pay-per-view, ESPN, ESPN+).

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If we’re lucky here in the combat domain, there are a couple of times a year the fight world explodes with options. This weekend is one of those.

The entire UFC 318 main card, along with Max Holloway vs. Dustin Poirier, had faceoffs at the press conference.

The ESPN+ card will go down inside the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, LA, and be headlined by a BMF title fight when current champ Max Holloway defends the belt for the first time in a clash with Dustin Poirier. This will be the third time the two future UFC Hall of Famers have faced off. Poirier has won the first two bouts.