UFC 318 fight grades: Did Poirier vs. Holloway live up to the hype?

UFC 318 was the definition of a one-fight card as Dustin Poirier received his well-deserved retirement fight in his home state of Louisiana against Max Holloway for the BMF title. On paper, this wasn't a great card outside of the main event. The early fights had finishes aplenty and the headliner delivered, but everything else fell flat.

Was the main event enough to carry this card to a passing grade?

After each pay-per-view, we assess the quality of each matchup and the fight card itself based on skill displayed, competitiveness and what was at stake. Here are the fight grades for all 14 UFC 318 bouts.

Women's flyweight: Carli Judice vs. Nicolle Caliari

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Carli Judice stops bout with perfectly placed liver shot

Carli Judice stops Nicolle Caliari with a knee to the liver to kick off UFC 318.

Result: Judice defeats Caliari by third-round TKO

Grade: B+

Judice was ecstatic for the opportunity to piggyback off Poirier's retirement to fight in her home state of Louisiana. Not only did she show up, she showed out with a brutal knee to the midsection that polished off Caliari in Round 3. Judice looked for that liver shot the entire fight and finally landed it in the final round of an exciting battle.

To punctuate her excellent footwork, sharp striking and solid takedown defense, Judice's knee collapsed the Brazilian fighter to the canvas. Judice is a rare finisher in the women's flyweight division. She could be a problem as she continues to improve.

Lightweight: Dustin Poirier vs. Max Holloway

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Max Holloway wins electrifying fight in Dustin Poirier's final bout

Max Holloway wins by unanimous decision over Dustin Poirier in the final fight of Poirier's career.

Result: Holloway defeats Poirier by unanimous decision

Grade: B

It wasn't quite the fireworks show that has defined the BMF title, but it earned fight of the night with heavy drama in the early rounds. Holloway nearly stopped Poirier in Round 1 and again in Round 2 before "The Diamond" roared back. The pendulum swung late in the second round to Poirier, who put the durable Holloway down and, of course, jumped for the guillotine choke. That might have cost him the fight, but there was no way Poirier was going to retire without attempting one last choke. Holloway pointed at the canvas in the final seconds, asking for one more slugfest, but Poirier clinched during the exchange. That seemed indicative of the whole fight, which delivered but held something back.

Middleweight: Brunno Ferreira vs. Jackson McVey

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Brunno Ferreira victorious in 1st round via armbar

Brunno Ferreira makes quick work of Jackson McVey with an armbar submission in the first round.

Result: Ferreira defeats McVey by first-round submission

Grade: B

Ferreira's setup for his first-round armbar finish was beautiful. He swiftly transitioned from side control to full mount then snatched McVey's arm, trapped it and turned it over into an armbar. McVey couldn't process what was happening until the pain of his arm being bent the wrong way snapped him to reality and he tapped. This grade is less about the fight and more about watching smooth technique from Ferreira.

Heavyweight: Ryan Spann vs. Lukasz Brzeski

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Ryan Spann gets first-round submission

Ryan Spann locks in a guillotine on Lukasz Brzeski to get the first-round submission.

Result: Spann defeats Brzeski by first-round submission

Grade: B

Spann went to work quickly on Brzeski with a takedown and an arm triangle attempt in the opening seconds. When that didn't work, he waited for the moment Brzeski exposed his neck and cinched in a nasty power guillotine for the submission win halfway through the first round. With a fast finish like that, Spann, a former light heavyweight with grappling skills, could be a threat to crack the rankings at heavyweight. The only reason this fight didn't receive a higher grade is that Brzeski was clueless on the ground.

Light heavyweight: Jimmy Crute vs. Marcin Prachnio

Result: Crute defeats Prachnio by first-round submission

Grade: B

Winless in his past five fights, Crute desperately needed a win against Prachnio. It took time for Prachnio to relent, but Crute bent Prachnio's arm backward so far in an armbar that Prachnio had to tap to avoid broken bones. Prachnio has been susceptible to submissions lately, and Crute did what he had to do to get the job done. Watching the arm bend that way is not for the queasy.

Welterweight: Islam Dulatov vs. Adam Fugitt

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Islam Dulatov runs away with one of the nastiest KOs you'll see

Islam Dulatov wakes the New Orleans crowd up with an amazing knockout in the prelims of UFC 318.

Result: Dulatov defeats Fugitt by first-round TKO

Grade: B

Dulatov picked up the 11th first-round finish of his MMA career in his formal UFC debut against Fugitt. Dulatov was patient, picking his spots, then found a home for the left hand that put Fugitt down and out. It was a simple formula for Dulatov against an opponent who was there to be hit. Dulatov could be a dangerous addition to the middleweight division.

Middleweight: Ateba Gautier vs. Robert Valentin

Result: Gautier defeats Valentin by first-round TKO

Grade: B

Gautier just beat up Valentin to get the first-round stoppage. Valentin didn't have much of a chance but still repeatedly beckoned for Gautier to bring it on. Gautier brought a left hook seconds into the fight, then patiently pounded on Valentin until the Swiss fighter crumbled to the canvas. Gautier is now 2-for-2 in impressive first-round finishes to start his UFC career.

Welterweight: Kevin Holland vs. Daniel Rodriguez

Result: Rodriguez defeats Holland by unanimous decision

Grade: B-

Does Holland care whether he wins or loses as long as he's putting on a good fight? Although he came up short against Rodriguez and was nearly knocked out in Round 2, Holland had a strong final round, nearly getting a finish of his own. Rodriguez ended up earning the biggest win of his career in a fight that started slow but picked up steam in the second and third rounds.

Welterweight: Francisco Prado vs. Nikolay Veretennikov

Result: Veretennikov defeats Prado by split decision

Grade: C+

This was an entertaining scrap that had the nerve to be the first fight of the night to go the distance. Prado and Veretennikov didn't know much about defense in the opening round, with both landing over 60% of their significant strikes. The fight was slowed by several grappling exchanges in Round 2, but Veretennikov finally pulled away in the third.

Middleweight: Marvin Vettori vs. Brendan Allen

Result: Allen defeats Vettori by unanimous decision

Grade: C+

Oddly, this fight won the UFC's fight of the night award. Allen won relatively comfortably, and Vettori absorbed a lot of punches while showcasing an iron chin. Was that enough for fight of the night? Not on my card. But this wasn't a bad scrap. Allen got off to a fast start and bloodied Vettori before nearly sinking in a rear-naked choke. But the durable Italian battled back and made it a fight. Allen swept two of the three scorecards, but this fight was worth watching.

Bantamweight: Kyler Phillips vs. Vinicius Oliveira

Result: Oliveira def. Phillips by unanimous decision

Grade: C+

Oliveira stalked Phillips with relentless pressure. Phillips did well to stay away for a round but got caught and dropped in Round 2. From there, it was all downhill for Phillips. Oliveira beat up Phillips pretty good for the duration of the second round and completed the rout in the final frame. This was arguably a more entertaining fight than Allen-Vettori, which also received a C+.

Lightweight: Michael Johnson vs. Daniel Zellhuber

Result: Johnson defeats Zellhuber by unanimous decision

Grade: C

The biggest betting underdog at UFC 318 pulled off an upset by putting together a vintage "seasoned veteran" performance. He dropped Zellhuber in the second round and routinely beat his opponent to the punch. Outside of the knockdown, there wasn't a huge "wow" moment, but Johnson deserves his kudos for proving he can still turn back a young, rising talent.

Middleweight: Paulo Costa vs. Roman Kopylov

Result: Costa defeats Kopylov by unanimous decision

Grade: C

Costa was smart and measured, preventing Kopylov from gaining any momentum in the fight. Costa entered this fight needing a win by any means necessary, and though he got it, this fight will be forgotten by next week. However, the victory keeps Costa in the middleweight contender mix.

Featherweight: Dan Ige vs. Patricio Pitbull

Result: Pitbull defeats Ige by unanimous decision

Grade: C-

On paper, this matchup was supposed to deliver, but it didn't come close to living up to the lofty expectations. Pitbull played it relatively safe to secure his first UFC win, and Ige, aside from a head kick that rocked Pitbull, couldn't put together enough offense to turn back the former Bellator champion. This was a fight in which Pitbull needed a win more than he needed to impress.

UFC 318 fight card grade: C+

UFC 318 started on fire, with the first six fights all ending inside the distance. All were won by the favorites, so that wasn't much of a surprise. Then the card fell off a cliff, with eight straight decisions. None of the UFC 318 fights were particularly bad, and fight of the night went to the third- or fourth-best fight on the card, but Poirier-Holloway 3 delivered -- even if it didn't have the ending Poirier would have desired.