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+).

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.