Dustin Poirier is in possession of a UFC world title.

The former featherweight continued his brilliant resurgence at 155-pounds by going to battle with Max Holloway for 25 minutes, outboxing the Hawaiian throughout and even slashing the featherweight champ open across the forehead.

While Holloway lost on the scorecards via 49-46, 49-46, 49-46 decisions, the fight was in truth far closer than those results suggest. Holloway was rocked multiple times, but never left his feet throughout the contest, and even in the fifth was throwing with his typical volume at a tired Poirier.

In the end, however, Poirier was not to be denied. A man counted out throughout his career, the man from Louisiana is now a world champion and is in line to fight Khabib Nurmagomedov, likely in September.