UFC 302: Islam Makhachev BEATS Dustin Poirier by submission to retain his lightweight title in front of Donald Trump in New Jersey
Islam Makhachev retained his lightweight title after submitting Dustin Poirier at UFC 302.
The five-round battle went back and forth as both men were able to showcase their strengths. Makhachev scored with plenty of control time as he successfully took down Poirier. Meanwhile, Poirier managed to do damage by keeping the fight going.
After getting the fight back to the canvas in the fifth round, Makhachev delivered a d’arce choke in the third minute.
Makhachev officially recorded five takedowns out of sixteen attempts. He also attempted two submissions before sinking the finish in the fifth.
Islam Makhachev retained his lightweight title by submitting Dustin Poirier at UFC 302
After a back-and-forth battle, Makhachev delivered a d’arce choke midway through the fifth
The champion scored a total of 147 and 88 significant strikes. Meanwhile, the Diamond has carried out a total of 104 and 74 significant attacks.
After the event, UFC chief Dana White named the headliner Fight of the Night, saying, “You couldn’t ask for a better main event.” Makhachev also received a Performance of the Night bonus alongside Kevin Holland.
The Prudential Center was sold out with 17,834 fans in attendance. The event also netted a $7.25 million gate, overtaking the Rolling Stones in the venue.
The audience included former US President Donald Trump, who received an incredible welcome in New Jersey. Several fighters celebrated with Trump after their victories. Namely Holland and Sean Strickland.
The Netherlands secured a first-round stoppage of Michael Oleksiejczuk in their middleweight meeting. After locking in a tight arm bar in the first round, referee Herb Dean had to save the Polish fighter from a broken arm as he refused to submit.
Trailblazer quickly jumped out of the cage, shook Trump’s hand and shared a few words with the former president after the victory. While Trump remained calm, Holland was on cloud nine as White smiled in the background.
On the other hand, Strickland secured a split decision over Paulo Costa in the co-main event. Like the Netherlands, he stepped off the stage and shook hands with the former president to celebrate.
With his victory, Makhachev extended his win streak to 14, the third longest in the UFC behind Anderson Silva (16) and Kamaru Usman (15).