Al Iaquinta: Max Holloway Had No Plan B Against Dustin Poirier

UFC lightweight Al Iaquinta believes Max Holloway would have been better served if he didn’t just rely on his boxing against Dustin Poirier.

Holloway and Poirier fought an entertaining battle for the interim lightweight title in the main event of UFC 236. “The Diamond” had a good start, rocking Holloway multiple times before the tide turned in favor of the Hawaiian. However, Poirier ended strongly and in the end and the judges scored it 49-46 in favor of him.

Iaquinta enjoyed the fight and had no problem with the decision. However, he believes it could have gone differently had Holloway chosen a different game plan.

“I thought it was a very exciting fight,” Iaquinta told Submission Radio. “It was non-stop. I think Max lacked the power Dustin had. Everytime Dustin connected, it would hurt Max especially in the early rounds.

“It just seemed like Max didn’t have the power that Dustin had. Max was content on just boxing and when the boxing didn’t work out, he kept with the boxing. He didn’t look like he had a plan B, nothing else, just that. I thought Dustin won the fight. I think the shots that Max landed didn’t really hurt him at all but Dustin really put him in trouble a few times.”

Poirier will face Khabib Nurmagomedov next, and Iaquinta will be hoping to get the winner of that fight as he takes on Donald Cerrone in the featured bout of UFC Ottawa next month.

But what if he was fighting for the interim title?

“I have tremendous respect for both Dustin and Max but I really think if I was in there, either way, I think it would have been a good night for me.”