UFC 302 LIVE: Poirier vs Makhachev fight updates and results as champion retains in final round
Re-live all the action after Dustin Poirier came up short against Islam Makhachev in their lightweight title fight
Dustin Poirier was denied a fairytale ending to his story in the Octagon on Saturday, as Islam Makhachev submitted the fan favourite to retain the lightweight title at UFC 302.
Poirier, 35, was fighting for the title for the third time, having previously suffered submission losses to Khabib Nurmagomedov in 2019 and Charles Oliveira in 2021.
The American previously held the interim belt but failed to unify the gold, and he hinted before and after UFC 302 that he might not fight again.
Poirier did himself justice across four-and-a-half rounds against Makhachev, the UFC’s pound-for-pound No 1, but the Russian out-grappled Poirier for much of the bout and secured a D’Arce choke in the final frame. Poirier tapped out but also seemed to go unconscious immediately after – for a brief moment – as Makhachev recorded a third successful title defence.
In doing so, Makhachev matched the number of defences achieved by Khabib, his coach and childhood friend, who reigned from 2018 until his in-ring retirement in 2020. Re-live UFC 302 updates and see all results below.
UFC 302 LIVE: Dustin Poirier vs Islam Makhachev
Islam Makhachev def. Dustin Poirier via fifth-round submission (D’Arce choke, 2:42)
Poirier actually seemed to pass out briefly there.
UFC 302 LIVE: Dustin Poirier vs Islam Makhachev
Round five
Fifth and final round! Poirier needs a finish. He kicks low. Makhachev dives for a single-leg, but Poirier shakes him off.
Uppercut and knee in close by Makhachev. Elbow by Poirier in the clinch. “Get the f*** off me,” he tells Makhachev, shoving him away. Ha.
Teasing uppercut by Makhachev. Another knee to the body. Poirier stalks forward. Makhachev tries another single-leg and partially gets Poirier down...
He’s going for a guillotine now – Poirier’s least successful but favourite submission! He switches to a D’Arce choke...
And Poirier taps!!! MAKHACHEV RETAINS!
UFC 302 LIVE: Dustin Poirier vs Islam Makhachev
Round four
Lovely right hook to the body by Makhachev. Poirier with one of his own. He stuffs a takedown attempt.
Both men land jabs at the same time. Again Poirier denies Makhachev a takedown. But Makhachev lands a good left hand and drives the challenger to the fence.
Poirier seemed to tell his corner just now that he’s hurt his leg. He’s trying to fend Makhachev off his back now, but he’s still standing.
Really nice switch exit by Poirier. He ends up standing in front of Makhachev, whose back is to the fence, and landing body shots on the Russian.
Poirier with an elbow to the head now, and Makhachev’s forehead is leaking blood! He fires back with a double-jab and cross, and Poirier retaliates with a beautiful combination to the head and body.
Poirier is defending another takedown, talking to UFC president Dana White through the fence.
UFC 302 LIVE: Dustin Poirier vs Islam Makhachev
Round three
Slick counter jab by Poirier. Solid knee up the middle by Makhachev, then an uppercut, and another knee in the clinch.
Makhachev gets a body lock and drives Poirier to the fence, where he trips the American. Makhachev takes the back, has a body triangle, and tries to stretch Poirier.
Poirier fights the hands. Makhachev, again, will look for a rear naked choke or maybe an armbar.
Makhachev moves into mount, but Poirier slips out from under the Russian – really nicely! The pair are back standing, and Poirier is walking down the champion.
Lots of blood coming from Poirier’s nose. Good right hook by Makhachev, then a left cross. His striking is so underrated.
Poirier’s face is swelling badly around his right eye, and he’s pawing at his left, which seems to be cut somewhere. Decent right hook by Poirier to end the round.
UFC 302 LIVE: Dustin Poirier vs Islam Makhachev
Round two
Poirier kicks low, and immediately Makhachev shoots for a single-leg takedown. Poirier manages to wriggle free, and the crowd loves that!
“U-S-A” is the chant in New Jersey. Poirier backs up Makhachev and lands a decent elbow in the clinch. Makhachev with a hard knee. The lightweights separate.
Again Makhachev tries a single-leg, and again Poirier scrambles and escapes. Good cross by Makhachev. Nice jab now.
More straight punches from Makhachev – jabs and crosses. He wings a right hook then drives for a single-leg, getting Poirier to the fence. But Poirier reverses the position! Very impressive.
Both men land uppercuts in a clinch. Makhachev with a knee to the body. The striking starts to take place at longer range, and Makhachev lands an uppercut after getting his head off the centre line.
Makhachev is the more accurate boxer so far, which is not what Poirier fans will have expected. And the Russian gets a takedown at the end of the round.
UFC 302 LIVE: Dustin Poirier vs Islam Makhachev
Round one
Both men stand southpaw. They’re the first fighters ever to wear gold UFC gloves.
Makhachev holds the centre of the ring. Good right hand from Poirier, but Makhachev fires back with a one-two.
He grabs ahold of Poirier and dumps him to the canvas already! Right by the fence. Makhachev is in half-guard, firing off short punches.
The crowd boos. Makhachev is working on an arm-triangle choke... He could pivot to the Americana. He goes for a Kimura instead!
Poirier rolls out of it well, but Makhachev quickly takes his back. He’s going to want the rear naked choke, but Poirier is firing off shots – punching over his own head – to deter the Russian.
That right hand from Poirier, earlier in the round, cut Makhachev around the champion’s left eye.
Makhachev is trying to isolate Poirier’s right arm. He may look for an armbar instead of the rear naked choke.
The crowd is willing on Poirier, who has defended well but is not getting out of this body triangle. Round one in the books.
UFC 302 LIVE: Dustin Poirier vs Islam Makhachev
Poirier is out first, to a mash-up walkout song. First up is a cover of “Diamonds” by Rihanna, then his usual song: “The Boss” by James Brown. The challenger is wearing special floral shorts for this one.
Now here comes Makhachev, the defending champion and pound-for-pound No 1.
Great reception for Poirier. Boos for Makhachev.
UFC 302 LIVE: Dustin Poirier vs Islam Makhachev
Somehow, an occasion as momentous and emotional as Dustin Poirier’s final shot at undisputed UFC gold has come to be defined by a joke of sorts, about whether the “Diamond” can pull off a specific choke. So, how did we get here?
In Poirier’s long and storied MMA career, the fan favourite has earned six wins over four undisputed UFC champions. Yet none of those fighters held a UFC title when Poirier beat them, except Max Holloway in his second fight with the American; even then, Holloway was vying for the interim lightweight belt against Poirier, rather than defending his featherweight strap.
That is to say: For all of Poirier’s achievements, he has never won an undisputed UFC title. The “Diamond” claimed the interim 155lbs belt against Holloway in that 2019 rematch, adding to his past win over the Hawaiian, victories over Anthony Pettis and Eddie Alvarez, and future wins over Conor McGregor. But the ‘official’ lightweight title has eluded Poirier.
Furthermore, the 35-year-old has beaten those champions by all imaginable means – decision, knockout, submission – but he has always failed at the technique he enjoys most: the guillotine.
Full main-event breakdown:
How a ‘joke’ came to define one of the biggest UFC fights of the year
UFC 302 LIVE: Dustin Poirier vs Islam Makhachev
Time for the main event... Islam Makhachev defends his lightweight title against Dustin Poirier, as the “Diamond” gets one last shot at undisputed gold.
Poirier, a veteran and fan favourite, previously held the interim belt but has twice failed to win the official lightweight title. In 2019, the American was submitted by then-champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, and in 2021, Poirier lost a title fight against Charles Oliveira – again losing via submission.
As such, Poirier has admitted that he could retire after UFC 302, regardless of his result against Makhachev, who is a mentee and childhood friend of Khabib. In fact, Nurmagomedov will be in Makhachev’s corner in New Jersey, as the champion seeks a third successful title defence.
Makhachev, the UFC’s pound-for-pound No 1, won the title by submitting Oliveira in 2022, and the Russian retained the belt twice in 2022 – beating Alexander Volkanovski both times. Volkanovski, who was featherweight champion at the time, lost to Makhachev on points then by knockout.
The main event is moments away...
Makhachev: “I think Dustin did a great camp, his coaches were working very well, and he performed very good.
“He defended my takedowns. He’s a champion, legend of this sport.”
Lots of respect between Poirier and Makhachev, too – and between Poirier and Khabib, his old foe, who was in Makhachev’s corner.
“This is my dream,” says Makhachev, calling for a shot at the welterweight title next.
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