Islam Makhachev emerged victorious at UFC 302 by submitting veteran Dustin Poirier in the fifth round. Then, the lightweight champ called out his next foe. scheduled Poirier as the latest challenger for Makhachev’s belt as the former interim champion chased a taste of undisputed gold.
The two men engaged in spirited trash talk leading up to the fight, culminating in an at their press conference. also spoke of retirement multiple times throughout fight week, as the 35-year-old accepted his time in the sport was dwindling. Still, ‘The Diamond’ approached his main event clash vs with reckless abandon, just as he did the previous 38 fights in his storied MMA career.
Once the match began, Poirier did well to stuff Makhachev’s takedowns early, even finding notable success while the two men were on their feet. Alas, the Russian technician was relentless, and he consistently pushed the tempo and didn’t allow Poirier to catch his breath. As the fight entered its fifth and final round, the challenger mounted one last charge, only for Makhachev to reverse it and take his back.
The reigning lightweight champion , causing Poirier to tap out as Makhachev’s team burst into the octagon to celebrate. Islam Makhachev wins by Power D'arce. Slick transition from arm guillotine.
Main event did not disappoint. In typical Makhachev fashion, the 26-1 fighter was humble in victory, patting Poirier on the back and calling him a legend of the UFC. Then, with the pleasantries out of the way,.
