UFC veteran Dustin Poirier said Wednesday that New Orleans rap artist Lil Wayne will accompany him during his final walk to the octagon at UFC 318, scheduled for Saturday at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans. The 36-year-old lightweight confirmed the plan during the event’s pre-fight news conference, describing the appearance as a tribute to his Louisiana roots. Poirier added that he will keep his long-time walkout song, James Brown’s “The Boss,” and blend it with Lil Wayne’s presence, although it remains undecided whether the Grammy-winning rapper will perform live. UFC historically limits in-cage performances but has allowed celebrities to join fighters on the walk to the cage. The bout against former featherweight champion Max Holloway headlines the card and will determine the promotion’s symbolic “BMF” title. Poirier enters the contest with a professional record of 30-9 (22-8 in UFC), and has said the fight will serve as the capstone to his 15-year career. The pay-per-view main card streams on ESPN+.