The former middleweight champion fought out of his standard defensive shell, constantly walked down his opponent and kept his strikes simple with jabs, the occasional combination and front kicks.
This was something that his corner were clearly concerned by following their defeats to Jared Cannonier and Dricus Du Plessis, where despite thinking that their fighter had done enough, they lost a decision following some very close rounds.
Mendez Says Strickland Needed To Open Up More Against Costa, Credits Coach Nicksick For Urgency
There was no change in approach from Strickland even as Costa started to slow down which could have come back to bite him.
His head coach, Eric Nicksick, was very clear heading into the fifth round that he needed to clearly win the final five minutes just in case the scorecards were close.
Strickland opened up more as the fight came to a close and landed some eye-catching strikes that sealed the deal for him.
During his podcast recap of the event, Islam Makhachev’s coach Javier Mendez spoke about Strickland and his defensive style.
He pointed out how it was a great call from Nicksick to stress urgency after how close the former champion’s style can make fights look.
“Sean Strickland is a great fighter but unfortunately, for me, he pressured, he pressured, he was in control but it wasn’t until his corner gave him great advice, Eric Nicksick is a great coach, he told him ‘hey, I need you to finish strong’, this and that and he didn’t really finish strong until the very very end and actually that’s what solidified that fight for him because that’s what gave him that round. But up to that point, because you don’t know how the judges are judging these fights. It’s ridiculous the way they were judging this fight so he did it correct, he did great cornering.”
Currently, the top spot on the list is occupied by the 155-pound champion who sits one place above the consensus greatest of all time, Jon Jones.
White firmly believes that the answer is “Bones” but others have questioned whether his recent activity should factor into the equation.
Of course, it is a hypothetical argument to be having as the entire list is based around if every fighter was the same weight, who would be the best.
Makhachev certainly has the edge when you look at his current strength of schedule and recent performances but it is impossible to look past Jones when you take overall careers into account.
Aljamain Sterling Backs Up Dana White’s Comments With Henry Cejudo Example
When he decided to vacate the light heavyweight title and move up to heavyweight, it was three years before fans saw Jones compete again.
His injury ahead of UFC 295 last November hasn’t helped the questions about his activity either.
Aljamain Sterling, however, said on his YouTube channel that he backs White’s argument because of Jones’ last fight.
The former light heavyweight king took three years off, came back and made it look easy when he submitted Ciryl Gane at UFC 285 in just over two minutes.
Sterling used the example of Henry Cejudo to demonstrate his point, stating how “Triple C” attempted to come back and was unsuccessful in his title challenge at UFC 288 – which shows why the significance of the Gane victory can’t be overlooked.
“I was about to say, three years off and to come back and do that to the number one guy like Dana said, I actually really agree with that.
“Jon Jones, what he did, is super impressive. Henry Cejudo came back, he tried to do what he tried to do and look what happened. He’s ‘the greatest combat athlete of all time’, no disrespect to him but…”
Islam Makhachev emerged victorious at UFC 302 as he stopped Dustin Poirier via submission in round five of their fight. The champ now has three title defenses to his name and is hoping to capture gold at 170 pounds too.
Although Makhachev outclassed Dustin Poirier on the ground as well as the feet at UFC 302, many were concerned about his staph infection going into the fight, including former UFC lightweight champion Conor McGregor.
McGregor, as usual, didn’t hold back. In a now-deleted post on X, he went as far as to call Makhachev an “inbred” and attacked his entire team.
Makhachev confirmed that he indeed had a staph infection going into UFC 302, but his coach Javier Mendez is delighted by the attention McGregor gave to the team and has already imagined the best-case scenario for the UFC lightweight champion.
Javier Mendez Wants Conor McGregor to “Get Beat” By Islam Makhachev
While talking to Red Corner MMA following UFC 302, Islam Makhachev’s coach Javier Mendez was asked about the media’s reaction to the staph infection. The coach claimed that Makhachev was not on antibiotics to cure the staph infection and his performance was unaffected.
He further talked about how McGregor bashing Makhachev has more positives than negatives, and he would love to see a fight between the two in the near future.
“It’s kind of funny how little simple things, people notice, and you know, change things. Like Conor, goes and starts a rant, starting to create drama, you know, with Islam, which is kind of good because Conor is the kind of guy you want to root against or root for regardless.
“Everybody wants to see him. Me, I want to see him get beat by Islam. So, for me, him doing what he’s doing is causing a lot of attention. So, you know, there (would) be nothing better for me and Khabib than to have Islam have a fight with him somewhere down the line.”
Mendez seems unaffected by McGregor’s banter on X and even praised the Irishman for being observant enough to bring up the staph infection. However, as per the coach, the health problem was already three weeks old by the time McGregor highlighted it and it wasn’t going to change the outcome of the fight.
A fight between Makhachev and McGregor could become a possibility if the “The Notorious” beats Michael Chandler at UFC 303 and gets a lightweight title shot.
UFC Lightweight Champion Islam Makhachev wishes he approached striking exchanges with even more confidence this past weekend.
Makhachev made his first appearance of 2024 in the main event of Saturday’s pay-per-view card, taking to the Octagon at Newark’s Prudential Center to stake his 155-pound crown against Dustin Poirier.
While “The Diamond” performed admirably, he was ultimately unable to bring Makhachev’s reign to an end. Instead, the Dagestani tied Khabib Nurmagomedov and Benson Henderson’s record tally of three defenses each by submitting the challenger in round five.
The finish came by way of a D’arce choke and followed success on the ground for the champ earlier in the fight. But Makhachev also displayed his ever-developing standup game, catching Poirier clean with a number of shots and combinations.
And with his striking gaining plenty of plaudits post-fight, Makhachev seemingly wishes he showcased even more of it…
Makhachev Reflects On UFC 302 Win: ‘I Have To Believe More In My Striking’
During an interview with Megan Olivi for ESPN MMA, Makhachev provided an assessment of his performance in New Jersey, which marked his first defense against an established lightweight contender following two victories over then-featherweight kingpin Alexander Volkanovski in 2023.
While sporting heavy damage of his own as a result of Poirier’s slick boxing, Makhachev noted that he largely gave as good as he got on the feet. With that in mind, he regrets not throwing hands with more confidence.
“I am happy I finished him,” Makhachev said. “He give me cut. He landed a lot of good punches, but I landed good too. I think the mistake in this fight, I have to believe more in my striking. Honestly, we focused in the wrestling, take him down, make him tired there. But I have to believe in my striking more, I think.”
Welcome to MMA News Today, a daily feature running down the most interesting stories in the world of mixed martial arts. For June 3, 2024, weāre taking a look at:
Javier Mendez says Poirier was in danger in the middle of the Octagon
McGregor gets passionate about stout
Fans will need to wait a bit longer to see McGregor and Chandler trade words
Islam Makhachev’s Coach Says Dustin Poirier’s Corner Made A Mistake When Warning Him About Takedowns
Dustin Poirier’s takedown and submission defense held up for most of his main event clash with Islam Makhachev this past weekend.
However, Makhachev’s coach Javier Mendez believes that the corner of “The Diamond” made a crucial mistake when giving advice to their fighter.
Poirier’s coaches told him that he needed to do whatever he could to avoid being against the cage, as long as he was out in the middle, the grappling wasn’t as much of a threat.
Mendez said on his podcast that the issue with this advice was that Makhachev was still able to get takedowns in the middle of the cage, as he did in the final round, where he had more room to work.
“Yeah see that was bad, I would have never said that because it was like what happened? You got taken out in the middle. You’re all good? No, you’re not good, they should have said something else. But, you know, in your mind sometimes you get stuck saying those things.”
Conor McGregor Launches Tirade Against Guinness On Social Media
In 2018, Conor McGregor entered the drinks business with his Proper No. Twelve Irish whiskey and had no problem calling out some of the top names in this particular field.
“The Notorious” has never been one to shy away from tearing others down where he sees necessary and now, he has a new target in his sights.
Last year, McGregor’s second foray into the alcoholic beverage market came with Forged Irish Stout which appears to have taken off in similar fashion to his first product.
Rather than his fellow Irish whiskey brands, the Irishman is now focused on going after Guinness, as shown by Andy Hickey MMA on X.
The “Guinness Community” Facebook group has had several posts from McGregor, one promoting his own product whilst the other looks to call out the inventor of the popular stout brand, Arthur Guinness.
I follow a facebook page called Guinness Community.
Conor McGregor has joined it and is posting. The hatred this man has for Guinness is unparalleled. pic.twitter.com/9NKX6vggQk
Though the tickets were free, fans were still disappointed for the announcement to be made on such short notice due to travel and accommodation costs.
Chandler was reportedly informed that it wouldn’t be going ahead yesterday before getting a flight over to Ireland to promote International Fight Week.
An email has also been sent out to ticket holders to inform them that their tickets will still be valid once the event is rescheduled.
No reason has been given as of yet as to why the press conference has been postponed on such short notice though some have suggested that is due to on-going protests that are currently happening in Dublin.
šØ| Confirmation that anyone who had a ticket for todayās postponed Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler press conference will be able to attend the rescheduled press conference whenever that takes place.
Islam Makhachev continued to show his prowess with his fifth-round submission victory over Dustin Poirier to retain the UFC lightweight title in the main event of UFC 302.
Makhachev’s victory now sparks questions about what could be next for him. It’s no secret that the next target date for the Dagestani could be in late October in Abu Dhabi, as Makhachev has done the last two years and his mentor, Khabib Nurmagomedov, did before him.
However, while many speculated that the next logical step would be a title defense against Arman Tsarukyan, Makhachev stated in his UFC 302 post-fight interview that he’s eyeing a new challenge in moving up to challenge current UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards.
In a response on X (formerly Twitter), Tsarukyan gave a respectful congratulations to the lightweight champ but suggested that he was looking to run away from him.
Congrats to Islam! But donāt try to run away to another division. Youāve only defended your title once against a real lightweight, and Iām next in line
“Congrats to Islam! But don’t try to run away to another division. You’ve only defended your title once against a real lightweight, and I’m next in line,” Tsarukyan wrote.
Tsarukyan Implies Makhachev Is Trying To Run From Him By Targeting Welterweight Title
Tsarukyan seemingly became the next contender to the lightweight title by way of his finish of former champion, and previous top contender, Charles Oliveira in a title eliminator at UFC 300 in April.
Makhachev defeated Oliveira at UFC 280 in October 2022 to capture the lightweight championship. He has since defended the title twice against then-featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski, in addition to Poirier.
Edwards, meanwhile, is scheduled to defend the welterweight championship against Belal Muhammad at UFC 304, which takes place on July 27 in Manchester, England.
The UFC has previously announced that this year’s Abu Dhabi pay-per-view card will be UFC 308, which will take place on October 26. Makhachev has also teased another appearance on US soil instead, specifically Madison Square Garden the following month.
Islam Makhachev continued to impress and showcase his status as one of the sport’s best with his fifth-round submission of Dustin Poirier to retain the UFC lightweight championship in the main event of UFC 302.
Makhachev certainly has the credentials to show why he is one of the best athletes in MMA, but where does that put him amongst his peers in the pound-for-pound order?
The UFC’s pound-for-pound rankings currently list Makhachev as #1. UFC CEO Dana White, however, suggests that while nothing can be taken away from Makhachev’s abilities, the top spot should be with Jon Jones until the heavyweight kingpin can’t go anymore.
Jones is currently ranked second on the P4P list.
“I think [Islam is] one of the greatest of all time,” White said at the UFC 302 post-fight press conference. “I think he’s incredible. I donāt think heās the pound-for-pound best fighter in the world. For anyone to call Islam the pound-for-pound best fighter in the world when Jon Jones is still f****** fighting is nuts and shouldnāt be ranking in the pound-for-pound, or doing any of the f****** rankings ever if thatās what you really think.
“Jon Jones has never lost a fight, ever. He’s fought all the baddest dudes in the world, and then when you think about what pound-for-pound rankings really mean ā he moved up to heavyweight and destroyed the best guy in the world. As long as Jon Jones is still fighting, active and in the rankings, nobody [else] is pound-for-pound the best fighter in the world.”
White: Performance After Long Layoff, Moving Up In Weight Gives Jones Edge Over Makhachev
Jones reigned over the light heavyweight division for most of the 2010s in spite of multiple controversies that interrupted runs as the division’s champion. He then vacated the championship in 2020 to move up to heavyweight, successfully returning at UFC 285 last year to submit Ciryl Gane and win the then-vacant heavyweight title.
Jones’ only blemish in his MMA career is his controversial December 2009 disqualification loss to Matt Hamill.
“Three years off ā nobody, not even [Muhammad] Ali, nobody’s ever come from three years off and looked the same,” White said. “Jon Jones walked through the number one guy in the heavyweight division like it was nothing with three years off.”
Weight divisions also plays a role in White’s feelings.
Makhachev’s only two other title defenses came last year against the same individual ā then-UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski. Volkanovski moved up to 155 pounds and challenged Makhachev at UFC 284, with the Russian winning a close decision, and again on about 10 days’ notice at UFC 294, where Makhachev won via first-round knockout.
“When you think about what pound-for-pound really means, [Makhachev] fought Volkanovski, who’s a weight class lower than him,” White said. “Jon Jones beat everybody at light heavyweight then beat the best heavyweight in the division like it was nothing at a higher weight class.”
Headlining was lightweight kingpin Islam Makhachev, who put his gold on the line against an established 155-pound contender for the first time. If he was to tie Khabib Nurmagomedov and Benson Henderson’s record for defenses in the division, the Dagestani had to prevent a potential fairytale ending to the career of Dustin “The Diamond” Poirier.
Intrigue was also on the co-headliner, which saw former middleweight champion Sean Strickland enter the cage for the first time since losing his title to Dricus Du Plessis this past January. In his way of a quick rebound victory was the always dangerous (and unpredictable, both verbally and physically) Paulo Costa.
Elsewhere, notable names like Kevin Holland, Randy Brown, Jailton Almeida, and Bassil Hafez all looked to leave Prudential Center with victories. But did they come together to form an entertaining night of fights?
Let’s find out with all the positives and negatives from UFC 302.
To the surprise of absolutely nobody, the promotion’s new glove design did absolutely (excuse my French) f**k all to solve the main issue that has long been visible at practically every event.
No matter how many adjectives and long, technical words the UFC put in its announcement of the new design prior to UFC 300, the absence of the word “poke” was immediately pointed to as a concern.
Spending thousands on a new glove design that solves issues people hadn’t even thought of instead of, you know, just fixing the problem everyone is aware of is quite something from the UFC.
Also, you’re not getting away without a word, too, Herb Dean.
If I hear the words “hard warning” followed by no point deduction after another foul, I’m going to lose my mind. Not only did Lima deliver another poke, he then completed an egregious fence grab while Raposo attempted to take him down.
Superb start to the night.
Negative – Don’t Let It Go To The Scorecards
Whenever I write negatives on judging, I always starts with a note on how I’m among those more inclined to defend the work of those cageside than criticize and believe the debate surrounding judging is largely born out of the fanbase’s lack of understanding regarding the scoring criteria.
The idea that the American won that fight is ludicrous to me following initial viewing, and had another judge followed suit, it would have gone down as a sure-fire robbery ā given that I usually mock those who cry robbery after decisions, I don’t use that word lightly.
One thing I will say, however, is the talented Aaron Bronsteter saw things a lot closer than us at home did. While sat behind a judge, the Canadian reporter perceived the bout as a tight affair, reminding us just how different the in-person experience can be.
From one angle cageside, judging isn’t an easy job. It seems like a major flaw of MMA that fights can appear so different depending on whether someone is watching from a judge’s seat or from home.
For what it's worth, I am sitting directly behind one of the judges' positions and not watching the broadcast.
— Aaron Bronsteter (@aaronbronsteter) June 1, 2024
Hammering home the suggestion that UFC 302 fighters should have been particularly keen to find a finish were a pair of 30-27 scorecards for Bassil Hafez a couple of fights later. There’s no doubt in mind that Hafez won, but there’s also little doubt that Mickey Gall’s work in round three was enough to be rewarded.
Thankfully, no fighter walked away with a wrong result. But it’s only a matter of time until someone does.
Positive – WAR
The UFC 302 preliminary card was held in decision city. Thankfully, while we did get an utter snoozefest in Grant Dawson vs. Joe Solecki, we got the opposite when Hafez and Gall did battle.
Topping the early prelims, Hafez proved that his surprisingly strong performance in a short-notice debut against the high-ranked Jack Della Maddalena was no fluke, walking Gall down and landing some heavy blows across the duration of three rounds.
And for Gall, while he may have lost a third straight fight, he was coming from a lengthy layoff following back surgery, and his late rally suggested that he’s set to be a tough out for up-and-coming welterweights moving forward.
The highlight of this fight was the third and final round, with the pair channeling their inner Max Holloway to throw down with reckless abandon in the dying seconds.
Violence was fairly sporadic throughout UFC 302. It was frequent in this clash.
I’m not a religious person, but I pray to whatever higher power may be out there when heavyweights enter the Octagon. What do I ask for? A quick finish and the prevention of a classic full-distance slog.
Of all the people to answer my prayers, Jailton Almeida was a turn up for the books.
That surprise is an exaggeration, of course. Prior to his showdown with Derrick Lewis last November, “Malhadinho” was a prolific and destructive finisher. But five rounds of nothing against “The Black Beast” and a similar strategy against Curtis Blaydes prior to being hammer-fisted to a defeat changed the narrative.
Having had no finishes up to that point and just witnessed close to 15 minutes of control from Dawson, Almeida’s finish was as needed to boost UFC 302 as it was to reinvigorate his career.
Death, taxes, Joe Rogan and Daniel Cormier having no clue how fights are scored.
Judging is far from perfect in MMA. Dave Tirelli displayed that much with his work on Saturday night. But equally as worrying as some unjustifiable scorecards is the utter tripe spouted by the UFC commentary team.
It’s nothing new. For years, the likes of Cormier and Dominick Cruz have shown that despite their illustrious fighting careers, they still have zero idea on what the judges are actually looking for. That’s left the latter believing a cut sustained in a later round could influence the scoring of an entire fight.
“DC,” meanwhile, is a serial offender when it comes to nonsense about control time, along with Rogan. They were at it again during UFC 302, suggesting that a near fight-ending choke and clean elbow from the bottom on the side of Joe Solecki wasn’t enough to overcome Grant Dawson’s control time, which came with limited offense.
That is, of course, not true.
The frustrating part here was that only one judge rewarded Solecki for a clear advantage in effective offense that could lead to the conclusion of the fight ā as is laid out in the scoring criteria. The immediate weighs more than the cumulative, and that made round one clear for Solecki, in my eyes. Even if you are going to justify the round going to Dawson, you simply can’t do so by mentioning control time.
Oh, but how Rogan and Cormier’s tune changed when it was a Russian laying on top instead of an American.
Wouldn’t be clear and obvious bias would it, boys?
The sooner Laura Sanko ā the only commentator who seems willing to do her job correctly ā is made a permanent fixture cageside, the better.
Negative – Gasper Oliver
I’ve seen some shoddy refereeing in my time, but what Gasper Oliver did at UFC 302 really takes the cake.
The main card opened with Randy Brown vs. Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos. And in a further advert for the promotion’s new glove design, the Brazilian was the victim of a deep eye poke in round one.
Referee Oliver correctly separated the pair and paused the action. Seconds later, though, he randomly insisted the fight continue, denying Zaleski dos Santos any time to recover. When the capoeira specialist endured another poke shortly after, Oliver didn’t even go as far as to stop the bout.
Jason Herzog was fortunately on hand to educate the third man inside the Octagon between rounds, but referees requiring in-cage tuition isn’t exactly encouraging.
Welcome, Gasper Oliver, to the Kerry Hatley tier of officiating.
Gasper Oliver is only reffing until his screenplay gets picked up.
I’m sure whoever decided to bump Alex Morono vs. Niko Price 2 to the main card had their reasons. What those reasons are, however, is unclear.
Originally set for PPV was Almeida vs. Romanov. I’d normally be praising a late switch that saw heavyweights taken off the main slate, but what we got instead was a second chapter to a matchup that delivered an unenjoyable 15 minutes of viewing.
At this point in their careers, power is not something either Morono or Price have in spades. With that, as the pair fatigued and actually resembled the kind of slog I was concerned about seeing from the heavyweights, any vulnerability was offset by what looked to essentially be pillow-fisted punches.
The main card started well with an entertaining scrap from a pair of high-level welterweights. Insert the opposites of “entertaining” and “high-level” and you’ll have an accurate description of the main card’s sophomore bout.
Nothing makes you question your own brain quite like putting a grim injury down as a positive. That’s MMA, folks…
Kevin Holland by way of submission was a strong possibility heading into his short-notice middleweight return at UFC 302. But Holland by way of one of the most gruesome armbars in recent memory was not necessarily on many people’s bingo cards.
Things looked a little scary for “Trailblazer” when he was dropped by a hard MichaÅ Oleksiejczuk left hand. But after he quickly got ahold of the Polish fighter’s arm (to which Oleksiejczuk had the reaction time of a tortoise), he quickly transitioned from on the ropes to on the ascendancy.
I’ll be honest, as Holland twisted his opponent’s arm in unnatural ways, I looked away. Through a gap in my fingers, I did see the moment Oleksiejczuk’s arm bent, snapped, hyperextended ā whatever form of mangled it was in. The fact he still didn’t tap is ludicrous.
On a card that had just one finish up to that point, Holland’s quick and violent submission was a welcome moment of shock.
Should we really expect anything different when Sean Strickland fights?
Strickland is a perennial point-fighter, yet we hear shouts of “get ready for a bloodbath” and “we’re gonna go in that cage and try to kill each other for your entertainment” at every press conference.
At this point, can fans just laugh instead of cheer? Because the notion of “Tarzan” going in and brawling anyone is as likely as Joe Biden getting a walkout alongside Dana White at a UFC event.
But, Strickland is extremely good at what he does. No matter what comes back at him (in this instance, not much), it’s impossible not to give him credit for creating a style and implementing it well time and time again.
It’s just a shame that style is among the dullest in the UFC.
Dustin Poirier may not have completed his story in the way he and many had wished for, but the UFC 302 main event was not a bad way to go out.
That’s if “The Diamond” has reached the end, of course. He was noncommittal post-fight as he came to terms with his third failed attempt at reaching the undisputed throne in the UFC lightweight division.
Of his championship performances, none were more impressive than his effort in Newark. “The Diamond’s” improvements since being submitted by Khabib Nuyrmagomedov and Charles Oliveira was evident, and he certainly had Makhachev on the ropes at times.
The Russian standout, however, proved to be too good. And while some choose to detract from his reign owing to the competitive nature of Saturday’s headliner, Makhachev’s performance was more than impressive.
That’s not least on the feet, where the champ pieces Poirier up at times with beautiful combinations. The Makhachev and Khabib debate rages on, but there’s little doubt who has the edge on the feet.
While the bantamweight gold was on the line at the venue 13 months ago, this weekend saw Islam Makhachev stake his lightweight title against fan favorite Dustin “The Diamond” Poirier.
Elsewhere on the lineup, Kevin Holland made a successful short-notice return to 185 pounds, Randy Brown made a push for the welterweight rankings at the expense of Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos, and Jailton Almeida secured a rebound win following his first UFC loss earlier this year.
With the event concluded, see below for the best photos from UFC 302.
While Dustin Poirier didn’t officially retire in the Octagon, he was ultimately unsuccessful in what could be his final fight in his MMA career. Poirier came up short against Islam Makhachev, who retained the UFC lightweight championship in the main event of UFC 302.
Makhachev got to business right away, landing a combination early before scoring a takedown. Makhachev, with control on the ground, attempted a kimura, and when Poirier looked to roll away, Makhachev transitioned into a rear-naked choke attempt. Poirier survived the round.
Poirier’s takedown defense was on display in round two, fighting off Makhachev’s attempts until the closing seconds, when Makhachev finally secured a takedown. Makhachev answered that with unrelenting pressure in the third, quickly securing another takedown and locking up a body triangle.
Makhachev attempted to secure the choke again, though Poirier managed to escape his grasp when he attempted to transition into full mount, making it a striking battle on the feet again.
Makhachev’s grappling pressure was getting to Poirier, who appeared to have hurt his leg, in the fourth. But when Poirier brought the fight back to the feet, Poirier started to find success with body shots.
But Makhachev got things back down to the ground in the fifth and locked in a D’Arce choke to secure the submission win.
Poirier ultimately did not leave his gloves in the Octagon but admitted that fighting “just to fight” isn’t enough for him to continue on.
Fans Pay Tribute To Dustin Poirier After UFC 302 Showing
Dustin Poirier is making me emotional right now. Why are you doing this to me? @DustinPoirier#UFC302
If this is truly it for Dustin Poirier then what an unbelievable career. Thank you, Dustin, for putting your body on the line for our entertainment. What an unbelievable ride. #UFC302
Makhachev had made two successful defenses of the UFC lightweight championship prior to tonight. Makhachev bested Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 284 and again, on short notice, at UFC 294. Makhachev had claimed the lightweight title with a win over Charles Oliveira at UFC 280.
Poirier earned tonight’s title shot off a win over Benoit Saint-Denis at UFC 299. The former interim lightweight champion had two previous challenges for the lightweight title, coming up short against Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 242 and Oliveira at UFC 269.
In the main attraction, American fan favorite Dustin Poirier hoped to finish his story by checking the final box in his career. Standing in his way of an undisputed lightweight title crowning at the third time of trying, however, was a formidable force in Islam Makhachev.
The Dagestani champion left the crowd disappointed by submitting Poirier in the fifth round of a memorable headliner. In doing so, he tied his mentor, the great Khabib Nurmagomedov, and Benson Henderson for title defenses by notching his third at UFC 302.
The Number One P4P continues his reign š@MAKHACHEVMMAĀ defeats Dustin Poirier by submission to REMAIN the lightweight champion of the world!
All eyes were also on the co-headliner, as former middleweight titleholder Sean Strickland competed for the first time since being unseated from the throne by the barest of margins this past January in Toronto. After being denied an immediate rematch with Dricus Du Plessis, “Tarzan” staked his claim for a title shot by stalling the ambitions of Paulo Costa in a lackluster five-round affair.
Before those matchups, the likes of Kevin Holland, Niko Price, Randy Brown, Roman Kopylov, Jailton Almeida, and Bassil Hafez all had their hands raised.
With the event concluded, check out the full results below, followed by some of the highlights!
UFC 302: Makhachev vs. Poirier Results & Highlights
Main Card:
Lightweight Championship Main Event: Islam Makhachev def. Dustin Poirier via submission (D’arce choke): R5, 2:42
Middleweight Co-Main Event: Sean Strickland def. Paulo Costa via split decision (50-45, 46-49, 49-46)
Middleweight: Kevin Holland def. MichaÅ Oleksiejczuk via submission (armbar): R1, 1:34
Welterweight: Niko Price def. Alex Morono via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Welterweight: Randy Brown def. Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Headlining UFC 302, Poirier is tasked with bringing an end to the reign of Islam Makhachev, a feat that then-featherweight kingpin Alexander Volkanovski failed to achieve in two attempts last year.
The co-main event also boasts considerable stakes, as former middleweight titleholder Sean Strickland looks to remain within touching distance of the belt. Having missed out on an immediate rematch with Dricus Du Plessis, “Tarzan” must stall the ambitions of Paulo Costa, who is facing the prospect of a long journey back up the ladder should he move to 0-2 in 2024.
Also on the lineup, fan favorite Kevin Holland makes the walk as a middleweight once again, top 10 heavyweight contender Jailton Almeida completes a quick turnaround following his first UFC loss this past March, and Randy Brown looks to open the PPV main card in style opposite Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos.
To prepare yourself for tonight’s event, catch up on the latest betting odds here, look back on the faceoffs from Friday’s ceremonial weigh-ins here, and follow along with the results and highlights here, live from 6:15 PM ET.
MMA Community Gives Final Thoughts On UFC 302: ‘Poirier By Guillotine!’
UFC 302 will get underway shortly, meaning the buildup and time for talking is almost over.
The MMA community is sure to be locked in and engaged in hot discussion over the events that unfold in the coming hours, but throughout today, plenty have been getting in their late predictions and final thoughts on the momentous occasion.
Dustin could cause one of the biggest upsets in UFC history tonight – unlikely, but what a picture perfect finish to a hall of fame worthy career. #ufc302
Dustin knocks Islam out. Becomes champ for the first time. Leaves the belt and his gloves in the center of the octagon. Rides off into the sunset. #ufc302
UFC 302 headliner Islam Makhachev left a path of destruction in his wake en route to having gold wrapped around his waist for the first time in mixed martial arts’ premier promotion.
With the vacant gold on the line, Makhachev made the most of it at UFC 280 in Abu Dhabi, where he dropped and submitted Charles “Do Bronx” Oliveira. He’s since cemented his grip on the crown with two successful defenses at the expense of then-featherweight champ Alexander Volkanovski.
Ahead of Saturday’s event, the promotion looked back on Makhachev’s journey to title success at 155 pounds in a video on its official YouTube channel.
There remains plenty for Makhachev to achieve inside the Octagon, and by the sounds of things, that includes potential two-division supremacy down the line.
But before turning his attention to the welterweight division and Leon Edwards’ championship belt, the Dagestani standout still has some work to do at lightweight, starting against Poirier on June 1.
UFC 302 takes place on Saturday night, and MMA News is here to bring you the final faceoffs from the ceremonial weigh-ins!
The upcoming pay-per-view event at Newark’s Prudential Center provides a chance for UFC Lightweight Champion Islam Makhachev to further enhance his legacy on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage.
If the Dagestani is to move closer to his desired status as the greatest of all time, he must get through Dustin Poirier, who is shooting for the undisputed throne for the third time having previously fallen short against Khabib Nurmagomedov and Charles Oliveira.
The stakes will also be high in the co-main event, as former middleweight titleholder Sean Strickland enters the cage for the first time since a tight decision loss to Dricus Du Plessis in their championship headliner in Toronto this past January. To stake his claim for a shot earning two-time status in the UFC, Strickland must stall Paulo Costa’s push for another opportunity at the 185-pound gold.
Nevertheless, every fight has remained intact, and all that remained on Friday was for the athletes to face off one final time at the UFC 302 ceremonial weigh-ins!
Check out a full replay via the official UFC YouTube channel below, followed by all the faceoffs!
Topping the lineup will be the returning Islam Makhachev, who makes the walk for the first time in 2024 having not competed since his second successful title defense against Alexander Volkanovski last October. In “Brick City,” the Dagestani must withstand the threat of fan favorite Dustin Poirier.
Before they go to battle, the co-main event will see former middleweight kingpin Sean Strickland back in action. If he’s to earn a potential shot at redemption against Dricus Du Plessis, the outspoken American will have to get past Paulo Costa.
Also in action on Saturday night will be the always entertaining Kevin Holland, top 10 heavyweight Jailton Almeida, and formerly ranked lightweight Grant Dawson.
Ahead of the event, you can get some help from the group of experts at MMA News by checking out their predictions for the UFC 302 main card here.
UFC 302: Makhachev vs. Poirier Betting Odds
Listed below are the latest betting odds for UFC 302 (as of 5/31), courtesy of DraftKings.
Main Card:
Islam Makhachev (-600) vs. Dustin Poirier (+440)
Sean Strickland (-265) vs. Paulo Costa (+215)
Kevin Holland (-290) vs. MichaÅ Oleksiejczuk (+235)
Niko Price (+210) vs. Alex Morono (-258)
Randy Brown (-180) vs. Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos (+150)
In Saturday’s main event, Islam Makhachev will look to tie his mentor Khabib Nurmagomedov and Benson Henderson’s record three consecutive title defenses. To do so, the Dagestani must stall the ongoing undisputed ambitions of Dustin Poirier.
Co-headlining, meanwhile, is a pair of prominent middleweight contenders in former champion Sean Strickland and one-time challenger Paulo Costa. Having failed to secure an immediate rematch with Dricus Du Plessis, “Tarzan” will look to keep his name close to the throne at the expense of “Borrachinha.”
Elsewhere, the likes of Kevin Holland, Randy Brown, Jailton Almeida, Roman Kopylov, and Mickey Gall will all make the walk.
UFC 302: Makhachev vs. Poirier Weigh-In Results
UFC 302 takes place Saturday, June 1, at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. The main card begins at 10 PM ET/7 PM PT, with the preliminary card starting at 6 PM ET/3 PM PT.
See above for replay of the UFC 302 Weigh-In Show, and check out the full results below!
Main Card:
Lightweight Championship Main Event: Islam Makhachev (155lbs) vs. Dustin Poirier (155lbs)
Middleweight Co-Main Event: Sean Strickland (185lbs) vs. Paulo Costa (185lbs)
Middleweight: Kevin Holland (185lbs) vs. MichaÅ Oleksiejczuk (185lbs)
Welterweight: Niko Price (170lbs) vs. Alex Morono (170lbs)
Welterweight: Randy Brown (170lbs) vs. Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos (170lbs)
Makhachev is set to return to the Octagon for his first assignment of 2024 in this weekend’s UFC 302 pay-per-view main event, where the challenge of Dustin Poirier stands in his way of a third successful title defense.
“The Diamond” will mark Makhachev’s first defense against an established contender at 155 pounds. To date, the Dagestani has pushed past the threat of featherweight legend Alexander Volkanovski on two occasions since ascending to the throne.
During a recent interview with former two-division champion Daniel Cormier, Makhachev was asked how he perceives criticism of his journey to the lightweight gold and suggestions he’s yet to face the best on offer at 155 pounds.
“Brother, it (does) not make sense,” Makhachev said. “I beat the guy who who beat him too. I agree with this, there’s more big names on his list. But it means nothing.”
Makhachev also went on to suggest that focus on his strength of schedule en route to the title is unfair owing to a struggle to secure high-profile opponents.
“Brother, how many times you remember somebody calling my name when I (wasn’t) champion? I don’t remember some guys who are on top calling my name, ‘I want to fight with Islam.’ All my life I had that problem. But finally I finished this, now people want the belt.”
Regardless of people’s perception, Makhachev has the chance to add another major name to his list of victims inside the Octagon this weekend at Prudential Center.
Islam Makhachev returns to the Octagon this weekend at UFC 302 to defend his lightweight title against Dustin Poirier.
When Khabib Nurmagomedov vacated the title and chose to retire, it was hard to imagine how Makhachev was going to live up to his close friend and teammate’s legacy by picking up the mantle.
With two title defenses under his belt now, even if both were against a featherweight moving up, people are now starting to question how far the current champion is away from surpassing the legacy of his coach.
Islam Makhachev Is Starting To Separate Himself By Moving Up The Record Books
Beating Poirier on Saturday night will see Makhachev tie Nurmagomedov at three title defenses. More importantly, he will surpass his winning streak.
The likes of Makhachev, Nurmagomedov, Max Holloway, Georges St-Pierre, Jon Jones, and Demetrious Johnson have all managed to win 13 fights in a row inside the Octagon.
One more win will push the current 155-pound king away from the rest of the pack into third place for all-time winning streaks behind Kamaru Usman and Anderson Silva.
According to Makhachev’s coach Javier Mendez, he could overtake the former champion for one other record as well.
“I believe he might very well pass it yeah but he also will pass another record, the most wins when you’re favored,” Mendez said on his podcast. “He’s got 15, they’re tied at 15. Since [the] UFC when you’re favored to win, you win, so if he wins this one, it’ll be 16 wins so he’ll be the leader in that department. I have a feeling before he’s done, he’s going to have a few records added to his arsenal of accomplishments because you know, this guy, he’s silent but he’s very progressive, he keeps advancing.”
Once the pictures went out, fans could not help but notice the apparent infection right under Makhachev’s left knee. This was followed by people searching for Makhachev’s pictures during camp and noticing that he might have had the infection for quite some time because his knee was covered during training.
Islam might have a Staph infection š¤
If true then this is Dustinās 2nd opponent in a row to fight with a Staph infection pic.twitter.com/nE8GkK1HcX
Not just MMA fans, but the likes of Conor McGregor has also been vocal about Makhachev’s infection heading into the fight. Another name on the list is Georges St-Pierre’s coach, Firas Zahabi, who thinks that the lightweight champ isn’t going to be at his best during the fight as a result of it.
St-Pierre’s Coach Coach Calls Islam Makhachev’s Staph Infection ‘Pretty Bad’
While discussing UFC 302 on the Tristar Gym YouTube channel, Zahabi was asked how Makhachev’s alleged staph infection could influence his fight. The coach first checked out the pictures from the latest photo shoot and was quick to suggest that Makhachev indeed absolutely has a staph infection.
“That’s pretty bad, yeah. That’s staph my friends. I could tell you. I’m not a doctor, okay? I didn’t go to medical school, okay? But I know staph when I see it. I’ve travelled all over the world. I’ve trained with thousands of people, thousands. I can tell you a staph infection when I see it.”
Zahabi was clearly stunned to see Makhachev’s leg. He went on to claim that having a staph infection right before such a huge fight isn’t ideal at all, and that antibiotic medication could negatively impact the champ’s performance at UFC 302.
“Damn, listen. If he’s on staph meds, and the fight’s this weekend, if that picture was this week, damn, that’s not good news.”
It is worth noting that Poirier’s last opponent, BenoĆ®t Saint Denis, went into their fight at UFC 299 with a staph infection as well. After a strong first round, the Frenchman was knocked out. He claimed that the antibiotics drained his energy and he could only maintain pressure for one round.
Could a similar fate be awaiting the current lightweight champion as well?
Of late, however, Israel Adesanya, Kamaru Usman, and Alexander Volkanovski have lost their titles in fights that they were favorites to win.
And over the years, heavy underdog challengers like Matt Serra, Holly Holm, Sean Strickland, and Michael Bisping have proven the oddsmakers wrong in title fights.
Can Dustin Poirier follow suit and finally become an undisputed UFC champion?
Here are notable UFC fighters providing us with their thoughts on the UFC 302 lightweight title fight.
Michael Chandler, Kevin Holland, & Paulo Costa Pick Islam Makhachev To Beat Dustin Poirier At UFC 302
MMA Fighting recently shared a compilation of fighters predicting the winner of the UFC 302 main event.
Michael Chandler claimed that Poirier was the most skilled fighter he’s stepped in the Octagon with, but even then, he couldn’t see “The Diamond” surviving Makhachev’s wrestling.
“He’ll do all of these different things to win the fight. He’s a certified competitor. With that being said, I think Islam is better than him in every single aspect of the sport, except for the sheer boxing.”
Paulo Costa went a step ahead and claimed that Makhachev might have a better chin than Khabib Nurmagomedov, which further reduces the chances of Poirier coming out with a win.
“Islam is maybe even tougher than Khabib, maybe. You know, because he has best, in my opinion, he has good striker, good striking skills. And in the ground and grappling, I don’t need to say nothing. You know he’s unbelievable good.”
Despite favoring the lightweight champ, Costa agreed this wouldn’t be an easy fight for either side.
Kevin Holland also picked Makhachev to win against Poirier but made it clear that the veteran finally getting to complete his story isn’t an impossible outcome either.
“So, either way the story can be wrote however, imma be good with it. As long as I get my dub and my check, you know what I mean? I’m good to go baby.”
Cory Sandhagen looked back at recent high-profile upsets to state that anyone has a chance in MMA – and that doesn’t exclude Poirier.
Jailton Almeida though, who’s a huge fan of Nurmagomedov, thinks Makhachev will certainly defend his belt at UFC 302.
Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos, who’ll face Randy Brown in the first fight on the main card, is one of the few people rooting for Poirier based on the striking advantage.
Randy Brown, too, had all the praise for Poirier’s ability to come back from adversity. Calling “The Diamond” his inspiration and someone he relates to, Brown hopes that Poirier wins, even though it’s a hard fight for him stylistically.
We’re deep into UFC 302 fight week, meaning it’s time for the top fighters set to be in action on June 1 to take to the stage and answer some questions.
Also on the card, Kevin Holland will make a short-notice return to 185 pounds to throw down with MichaÅ Oleksiejczuk, Jailton Almeida will look to bounce back from the opening loss of his UFC career against Alexandr Romanov, and Randy Brown and Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos hope to kick the PPV portion of Saturday’s lineup off in style.
As is customary during major fight weeks, the athletes took to the stage on Thursday for the pre-fight press conference. The UFC 302 edition saw Makhachev, Poirier, Strickland, and Costa with mic in hand.
Check out a replay of the presser below via ESPN MMA’s YouTube channel, followed by all the highlights and the two faceoffs!
UFC 302 is now only a couple of days away, and what better way to get hyped for the upcoming pay-per-view than with some MMA News staff predictions for the intriguing card?
The headline act will see gold on the line, as reigning UFC Lightweight Champion Islam Makhachev looks to defend his belt against an established 155-pound contender for the first time. After emerging from two challenges against Alexander Volkanovski with the crown still in his possession, the Dagestani is next tasked with stalling the ambitions of Dustin Poirier.
Setting the stage for them in the co-main event, meanwhile, will be two middleweight contenders hoping to secure title opportunities of their own down the line. Having had his calls for a rematch with Dricus Du Plessis fall on deaf ears, former champion Sean Strickland must bounce back at the expense of Paulo Costa if he’s to earn a chance at achieving two-time status.
Elsewhere, Kevin Holland will make a short-notice return to 185 pounds to square off against MichaÅ Oleksiejczuk, Jailton Almeida will look to rebound from his first UFC defeat opposite Alexandr Romanov, and welterweights Randy Brown and Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos battle to kick proceedings off in style on PPV.
UFC 302: MMA News Staff Predictions
Ahead of Saturday’s UFC 302 event, Kyle Dimond, Ryan Jarrell, Thomas Albano, Tyriece Simon, and Andrew Starc have provided their picks for the five-fight main card, which you can see below.
Lightweight Championship Main Event: Islam Makhachev (C) vs. Dustin Poirier
Middleweight Co-Main Event: Sean Strickland vs. Paulo Costa
Middleweight: Kevin Holland vs. MichaÅ Oleksiejczuk
Heavyweight: Jailton Almeida vs. Alexandr Romanov*
Welterweight: Randy Brown vs. Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos
*Almeida vs. Romanov has since been demoted to the prelims, with Alex Morono vs. Niko Price now set to go down on PPV
Welterweight: Randy Brown vs. Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos
Kyle Dimond: The battle of the welterweight top 15 hopefuls opens up the main card in Newark. The Brazilian has a ton of experience and some great wins inside the Octagon. To some extent, the same can be said for his opponent. Both men have been known to suffer defeats to the cream of the crop, so who rises to the top in this one?
For me, Brown has always jumped out as someone with bags of potential if heās able to put a run together. This could be the moment for him but Iām expecting the durability of his opponent to hold up and for the judges to be required. (Prediction: Randy Brown)
Ryan Jarrell: This welterweight fight will be a really exciting one to kick off the main card. My immediate thoughts were to lean toward Brown due to his striking and five-inch reach advantage. But, Zaleski dos Santos is no joke and could very easily win this fight.
The Brazilian has some big wins earlier in his career over Sean Strickland and BenoĆ®t Saint Denis and is (10-3-1) overall in the UFC. I wonāt be betting on this fight because I could see it going either way. Right now, Iām going with Brown to utilize his jab and length en route to a decision. But my opinion may change as the fight gets closer.(Prediction: Randy Brown)
Thomas Albano: The first thing that people will always note about Brown is his massive 78-inch reach. It is incredible of a reach for a fighter to have, and Brown knows how to use it well, managing distance while using his boxing. And while his jabs and his combinations are usually his key to success, donāt count out his grappling. Though he hasnāt had a submission win since UFC 261, “Rude Boy” knows how to handle himself on the ground if the time comes for that.
We have only seen Zaleski dos Santos three times since the end of 2020, but heās 2-0-1 in that span, including a win over a younger Saint Denis. While Zaleski dos Santos has jiu-jitsu in his background, his specialty is his Muay Thai. That means we should be in for a back-and-forth striking battle ā though it will be interesting to see, if this fight does go to the ground, how Brownās long limbs will help him in such an instance.
The problem for Zaleski dos Santos is that heās approaching 38, and while Brown is no Spring chicken either, his reach, energy, and momentum with more activity (wins in six of seven fights since the start of 2021), force me to give him the edge. (Prediction: Randy Brown)
Tyriece Simon: This fight should be a fun start to the UFC 302 main card. Brown and Zaleski dos Santos are coming into their matchup on two-fight win streaks and aiming to make a run in the welterweight division. That said, I lean toward Brown getting the win here. He has the height and reach advantage to stick behind his jab and utilize leg kicks to pick Zaleski dos Santos apart. If “Rude Boy” can stay at a distance, I think he can win decisively. (Prediction: Randy Brown)
Andrew Starc: Brown has won six of his last seven fights, having most recently knocked out Muslim Salikhov in the first round of their February encounter. Zaleski dos Santos, meanwhile, is undefeated in his last three, with his last bout against Rinat Fakhretdinov ending in a majority draw back in November. In what will likely be a mainly striking affair, I think the rangier and younger Brown will get the nod here. (Prediction: Randy Brown)
Consensus: 5-0 Randy Brown
Heavyweight: Jailton Almeida vs. Alexandr Romanov
Kyle Dimond: Heavyweights are up next and, once again, my money is on the favorite. Almeida did not have a good night last time out against Curtis Blaydes but heās still proven himself to be in that mix. It was a humbling setback but one that should serve Almeida well going forward as he looks to crack that upper echelon of Blaydes, Ciryl Gane, Tom Aspinall, and Jon Jones.
I havenāt seen much from Romanov as of yet that makes me think he can break into that top group of heavyweights. So, while this isnāt the easiest matchup that is out there for Almeida, I think there could be a gap in quality once both men get tired, paving the way for the Brazilian to score a second-round TKO. (Prediction: Jailton Almeida)
Ryan Jarrell: Almeida will be too powerful and too dynamic for Romanov. I thoroughly expect “Malhadinho” to start fast and win quickly in this heavyweight bout. (Prediction: Jailton Almeida)
Thomas Albano: Big men going to the mat never seems to ring a desirable bell in MMA fans, but thatās exactly what weāre going to get here. If youāre a fan of wrestling and grappling, youāll probably get a kick out of this one. Almeida was on a big win streak coming into his appearance on DWCS, and heās continued to impress since then ā despite getting knocked out by Blaydes. Almeidaās ground dominance can already be seen on the UFC stat sheets. He holds the UFC records for highest control time and top-position percentage. His 21-plus minutes of control time against Derrick Lewis is one for the UFCās record books, as well as the nine takedowns he landed in the first round against Blaydes. If it isnāt obvious a
lready, itās being the one to land the takedowns and unrelenting top-heavy pressure that is Almeidaās key to victory.
That said, his wrestling skills will be tested when he faces another talented man on the mat in Romanov. Like the Brazilian, Romanov, a freestyle wrestler, will also be aggressive and look for takedowns early. But while “King Kong,” has a little bit of a weight advantage (at least based on previous weights between these two fighters), how much success Almeida has had with grappling ā in terms of both finishes and control time ā might be too much for him to handle. (Prediction: Jailton Almeida)
Tyriece Simon: This is a must-win fight for Almeida. After a lackluster performance against Lewis and a knockout loss to Blaydes, “Malhadinho” needs an impressive win. However, Romanov is a tough opponent to defeat. Both fighters will want to take the bout to the ground, but the Moldovan is the bigger fighter and seemingly has the strength advantage. I also believe “King Kong” will be better in the clinch to get to a takedown. Although Almeida is the favorite, I think Romanov has the skillset to get the job done Saturday night. (Prediction: Alexandr Romanov)
Andrew Starc: Almeidaās rapid rise through the heavyweight ranks was cut short with a TKO loss to Blaydes in March. That was his first defeat in 15 fights, having scored wins against Jairzinho Rozenstruik and Lewis along the way. Romanov, meanwhile, got back in the win column against Blagoy Ivanov in July last year following two straight losses. Given Almeidaās grappling prowess and power, I think this will be an easy win for him. (Prediction: Jailton Almeida)
Consensus: 4-1 Jailton Almeida
Middleweight: Kevin Holland vs. MichaÅ Oleksiejczuk
Kyle Dimond: Holland returns to middleweight in search of a win following back-to-back defeats to top welterweights. Despite going up, he is sure to have a considerable height and reach advantage in this fight. Holland is a dangerous finisher, too, and thatās concerning for Oleksiejczuk considering four of his five UFC losses have been submissions. Holland has got some tricky subs in his locker also, so I can see him hurting his opponent and putting him away early, maybe with a performance bonus in there for good measure. āBig Mouthā back with a big win. (Prediction: Kevin Holland)
Ryan Jarrell: Holland is back at middleweight and must feel the pressure to come out and look his best after his most recent performance against Michael Page. Oleksiejczuk boasts 14 KO/TKO wins in his career and made his UFC debut all the way back in 2017. We know this guy belongs and is a tough out for anyone. I do expect Holland to capitalize on his seven-inch reach advantage in this matchup and eventually find a club and sub to end the fight. (Prediction: Kevin Holland)
Thomas Albano: This is a sneaky fun fight that some people might be sleeping on. With 14 of his 19 victories coming by way of KO, we have seen Oleksiejczuk impress with some wicked finishes and powerful displays ā just have a look at his finishes of Cody Brundage and Chidi Njokuani. That said, he hasnāt faced the same kind of competition that Holland has. And while āBig Mouthā has the talk (including inside the cage) that makes him either loved or hated, thereās no doubt he can hold his own with the middleweight contenders in the Octagon.
Holland has his own explosive power, and donāt ever count out his grappling. This will be a great experience for Oleksiejczuk and could prove to be a fun fight. However, Holland just has the experience and overall package thatās going to be too much to handle. A win here could also help Holland rebound from back-to-back losses to Jack Della Maddalena and āVenomā Page. Oleksiejczuk has four submission losses in his last five defeats, and “Trailblazer” should be able to take advantage of that with his previously mentioned grappling. (Prediction: Kevin Holland)
Tyriece Simon: Holland and Oleksiejczuk have the potential to be the Fight of the Night. I believe the critical factor in the matchup is whether Holland’s defense can hold up. Oleksiejczuk tends to swing big punches to try to get a knockout and has the power to do it. If “Trailblazer” can utilize his footwork and head movement to avoid the Polish fighter’s heavy strikes and fight him at a distance, he can finish him. Holland has to be patient and slowly pick Oleksiejczuk apart with jabs and leg kicks early, then ramp up his onslaught in later rounds. I think this will be his game plan, and heāll outperform Oleksiejczuk to a decision or a knockout. (Prediction: Kevin Holland)
Andrew Starc: Holland, for me, might be one of the most frustrating fighters to watch. Since that outrageous KO of Ronaldo Souza back in 2020, which seemed to beckon a rise through the ranks, heās lost six times in 11 fights, including his last two. Oleksiejczukās recent record is similarly patchy, but while Hollandās rangy boxing may cause problems, I think the Pole will get it done. (Prediction: MichaÅ Oleksiejczuk)
Consensus: 4-1 Kevin Holland
Middleweight Co-Main Event: Sean Strickland vs. Paulo Costa
Kyle Dimond: Here comes the wildcard. Everything about this fight screams a Strickland decision win. Heās defensively aware and weaponizes his cardio, two factors that make him a tough fight for Costa. However, if thereās anyone that can out-crazy Strickland, it might be āBorrachinha.ā Stricklandās recent losses, aside from the left hand of doom from āPoatan,ā have come from the downsides to his style. Against Jared Cannonier and Dricus Du Plessis, he did well but saw rounds slip away, and with Costa not being intimidated by the jabs coming back at him, he might be able to win any round thatās competitive through sheer output and because his strikes are more eye-catching.
Iām not sure whether the pressure of Strickland is going to work as well against such an imposing figure in Costa, and without the former champion being able to make the Brazilian second guess himself, his toughness will keep him in the fight over five rounds and he may be able to take three of them on the cards. (Prediction: Paulo Costa)
Ryan Jarrell: This co-main event fight should be a very interesting stylistic matchup. Iām curious to see what kind of a gameplan Strickland has against the powerful Costa. If the former champion fights smart and doesnāt try to fight “Borrachinha” the way he did Alex Pereira, I think he will grind out a win. I believe this will be the Fight of the Night and end in a narrow decision leaving many bettors upset that their parlays were busted. (Prediction: Sean Strickland)
Thomas Albano: Strickland is going to have quite the test for his first fight back since losing the title. While I havenāt always been the biggest fan of Costaās performances in the Octagon, he poses an interesting challenge in that he has power that Strickland has arguably never seen in the cage before. Itās also arguable to say “Tarzan” hasnāt had the greatest track record when facing upper-level competition at middleweight, but his upset of Israel Adesanya has landed him here.
This could be a fun battle, given how similar these two men can be in the cage. Both like to be aggressive in their striking and have strong wrestling backgrounds. I, however, give the edge to Strickland for two reasons. One, I see Strickland being the more aggressive of the two when it comes to his output. Two,
with this being a five-round bout, the American has more experience competing in these kinds of fights. Costa, in fact, has only gone 25 minutes just one time ā when he and Marvin Vettori competed at light heavyweight in late 2021. Could Costa land some damaging shots? Maybe, but I see Strickland outlasting him in a fight that goes the full way. (Prediction: Sean Strickland)
Tyriece Simon: This matchup is intriguing as both fighters generally love to be the ones pressuring their opponent. Strickland tends to overwhelm his foes by outworking them with his striking activity, while Costa utilizes his power to shut down his competitors. The winner of this fight will be who advances and puts their opponent on the back foot.
Costa will possibly be the aggressor in the first round. If Strickland can weather the storm, use that variation of the Philly Shell that he has had success with, and counter with 1-2 combos, he can build momentum for the second round. At that point, I think “Borrachinha” will slow down and the work Strickland put in the previous round will pay off. Iām not sure the former champion can finish Costa, but he can outwork him to a decision. (Prediction: Sean Strickland)
Andrew Starc: While Strickland lost his middleweight crown in his last outing, it was by the narrowest of margins. His cardio and solid striking are going to cause problems for Costa. While having a good showing in his most recent loss to Robert Whittaker, the Brazilian doesnāt look to be a true threat to the elite of the division. Unless Costa lands something wild, I canāt see Strickland losing on points. (Prediction: Sean Strickland)
Consensus: 4-1 Sean Strickland
UFC Lightweight Title: Islam Makhachev vs. Dustin Poirier
Kyle Dimond: Gilly or no gilly, itās hard to pick Poirier in this one. If he fought Makhachev 10 times, Iād imagine heād win just a few times, and I donāt think Newark is going to be his night ā not with the current form of the champion. āThe Diamondā is far too good to be counted out and Iām not willing to write him off. But, the simple fact of the matter is itās hard to favor anyone in the division over Makhachev right now.
Thereās several names I think would be a tougher matchup for the champ, at least on paper. We ride into New Jersey as a silly gilly-jumping gaggle, but ultimately, Makhachev will come out on top with a tap of his own. (Prediction: Islam Makhachev)
Ryan Jarrell: Poirier is one of my favorite mixed martial artists and I very much want to pick him here to secure a massive upset and finally become the undisputed champion. Unfortunately, my head tells me that Makhachev is just too well rounded for him.
The American is incredibly gritty and has the ability to stun and put out anyone. I just think the Dagestani will resort to his wrestling if he gets in any major trouble in this fight. I hate to say it, but ultimately I think the champ gets ahold of Poirier’s neck and finishes him with a gilly. (Prediction: Islam Makhachev)
Granted, Poirier has evolved over the years. And one place heāll have the advantage is on the feet. It sounds boring to say that this is a typical striker vs. grappler matchup, especially considering what we saw Makhachev do to Alexander Volkanovski in October. But, thereās a big difference between Volkanovski ā who was coming up 10 pounds, fighting on short notice, and was a bit drained from all of his in-cage activity ā and one of the best 155-pound fighters of the modern day. If Poirier can somehow keep this fight standing ā and resist his desire to jump the gilly ā then just maybe he can pull off the upset.
But thatās easier said than done; Makhachev is a smart man, and he will probably just takedown and wrestle Poirier in the same way his mentor did. (Note: Charles Oliveira even had plenty of control time on Poirier, even though he never landed a takedown on the stat books!) And if that happens, unfortunately for “The Diamond,” it could be the same as it ever was in his third undisputed title fight. (Prediction: Islam Makhachev)
Tyriece Simon: In what is potentially Poirier’s last fight, Iām not sure he can defeat Makhachev. I believe “The Diamond” has the striking ability to give the UFC lightweight champion issues. However, the most significant factor of the fight will be the challenger’s cardio. Lately, Poirier seems to slow down quicker with heavy activity in a fight early as he has gotten older. Iām certain Makhachev is mixing up his striking and grappling to confuse his opponent and sap away Poirierās energy.
It will be a tough night for the Louisianan if Makhachev can get Poirier backing up early and put his back against the cage. The veteran contender has to keep the fight standing to give himself a chance. It may also be beneficial to attack the body of Makhachev and not head hunt early on to slow him down. Poirier also needs to focus on trying to get up rather than going for a submission if he does end up on his back. As good as Poirier is on the ground, heās less likely to get a submission win over Makhachev and would sacrifice control time to his opponent. Ultimately, I believe the champ will be too much for Poirier on Saturday. (Prediction: Islam Makhachev)
Andrew Starc: I can’t see Makhachev losing this one. This is Poirierās third shake at the title, and while heās shown his elite caliber over the years, most recently with his KO of Saint Denis in March, I donāt think he has an answer for Makhachevās grappling. I think this one might go the same way for Poirier as his first title shot against Khabib.(Prediction: Islam Makhachev)
Consensus: 5-0 Islam Makhachev
That’ll do it for our UFC 302 staff picks! What do you think? Do your picks look similar? Let us know in the comments section! Also, you can check out the UFC 302 undercard below.
Welcome to MMA News Today, a daily feature running down the most interesting stories in the world of mixed martial arts. For May 30, 2024, weāre taking a look at:
Makhachev doesn’t mind being the odd one out
Poirier takes on a 155-pound history lesson
Strickland isn’t happy with the UFC
Islam Makhachev Is Happy To Fly The Flag For Fighters That Don’t Have A Nickname
Over the past few years where he has been dominant at the top of the lightweight division, Islam Makhachev’s personality has started to come out more.
The same could be said for Khabib Nurmagomedov who also saw his sense of humour translate more and more as his English improved.
During a recent episode of his podcast, AKA head coach Javier Mendez spoke about how people are getting to know what his fighter is like behind the scenes more.
He said that he even asked the champion about why he doesn’t have a nickname that would allow people to connect with him even more.
In Mendez’ words, Makhachev is happy to be the outlier and represent for the fighters that don’t have a moniker.
“I asked him ‘hey, everybody’s got a nickname, someone’s got this, cowboy, Khabib’s got the eagle, this and that, what about you?’ And he said ‘well, somebody’s got to hold the trend for no name so let that be me, they can have the names, I’ll be the guy that starts a no name. Everybody has a name so why not me have no name, just my name’.”
Dustin Poirier Correctly Names Every UFC Lightweight Champion Before Attempting To Become One Himself
In a video posted by the UFC ahead of his clash with Islam Makhachev this weekend, Dustin Poirier showed his MMA knowledge.
Before fight night comes around, “The Diamond” was tasked with naming every fighter that has held the 155-pound gold.
Poirier was impressively able to name all 12 and wasn’t far off doing it totally in order but he did need to circle back to a few at some points.
The next challenger was able to correctly trace back the belt all the way from Jens Pulver being the inaugural champion to modern day, passing by the likes of BJ Penn, Anthony Pettis and Conor McGregor along the way.
One name that did give him some pause as the last one he needed to name was Charles Oliveira who he challenged for the belt back at UFC 269.
Can @DustinPoirier name every lightweight champ in UFC history? š¤
Sean Strickland Vents Frustrations With The UFC: “It Doesn’t Do The Right Things”
With UFC 302 fight week in full flow, it was only a matter of time before Sean Strickland picked his first target to take a shot at.
The often controversial former middleweight champion is usually found slandering other fighters or even media members but this time around, he chose to get something off his chest.
In an interview with Daniel Cormier, Strickland spoke out about the UFC itself and how in his opinion, they don’t try to do right by the fighters.
“Here’s the thing, sometimes you’ve gotta be ready to f*cking throw away your entire career if you don’t get your sh*t,” Strickland said. “Just doing the f*cking right things, man. The UFC doesn’t do the right things. It doesn’t f*cking do the right things. It doesn’t do the right things with most of the roster.
“If you go look at what these f*cks, the guys that run the UFC, what they’re making and what (fighters) get paid, it’s f*cking sh*t, dude. The UFC does not do the f*cking right things,” Strickland continued. “Unless you hold them at gunpoint, they aren’t gonna do it. But that’s all business these days. All these f*cking corporations are f*cking leeches, dude. Look at the working man’s f*cking (pay) gap, bro. My gap is a lot f*cking smalled than your guys’ gap, but that’s how it works. These corporations are just f*cking sucky.”
Former UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar knows the challenge awaiting Dustin Poirier having witnessed Islam Makhachev’s recent preparation firsthand.
Makhachev is a couple of days out from his third defense of the 155-pound title and first against an established contender in the division. In the main event of UFC 302, the Dagestani will meet the challenge of Poirier.
While Makhachev had the crowd on his side in the Middle East, those inside Newark’s Prudential Center will no doubt be cheering for his opposition come fight night, as one of the sport’s biggest fan favorites looks to reach the throne at the third time of trying.
According to one former champ, however, Makhachev is unlikely to be unseated anytime soon…
Edgar Sees Makhachev Remaining UFC Lightweight King ‘For A While’
During a recent interview with John Morgan for Grind City Media, Edgar spoke about his experience training alongside Makhachev and his team at Nick Catone MMA & Fitness in New Jersey.
While “The Answer” didn’t delve into the details of Makhachev’s pre-fight work, he did note that those who’ve lauded Makhachev’s talent were certainly not exaggerating.
“I’m just hanging out with these guys, trying to take as much knowledge as I can while they’re down,” Edgar said. “I got them set up with the right people (in New Jersey)… It’s cool just to rub off on these guys, man. They train amazing, you know, bunch of good guys… It was a cool experience for everybody.
“He’s an animal, man. I’m not gonna say really what goes on behind closed doors, but watching him against some of the guys he’s sparring is impressive,” Edgar continued. “All the stories about him are true, if that makes sense.”
Edgar also made an appearance in episode three of the UFC 302 Embedded: Vlog Series, further laying praise on Makhachev’s training and ability.
“It’s go time for these guys. They’re all zeroing in,” Edgar stated. “Islam, he’s just a freak. I see him having this belt for a while.”
Makhachev will look to prove Edgar, his supporters, and the oddsmakers right this weekend at UFC 302 by becoming the third individual to stall the championship ambitions of Poirier.
Former two-division UFC champion Conor McGregor was ready to give his uncensored thoughts on a recent discussion regarding Islam Makhachev.
Makhachev, who has reigned supreme over the lightweight division since his title-winning victory over Charles Oliveira in 2022, is set to make his first appearance of the year this weekend.
McGregor followed his usual trend, taking to social media with a slew of verbal attacks directed at Makhachev, whom he branded a “scruffy c**t.” He also called the champ “imbred,” an insult he’s frequently directed at his Dagestani rivals.
The Dubliner did, however, still predict a quick triumph for Makhachev come fight night.
“Staph again. This inbred lives with Staph,” McGregor wrote. “This team is infested, make no mistake. Scruff balls. Whatever ya’s are into, I suppose. He still subs Dustin in the 1st.”
In a follow-up post, McGregor continued his tirade with a reminder on the importance of washing mats after training sessions.
“Yous absolute scruffy f**ks I’m sick of yous,” McGregor added. “Wash your f**king self! Wash your clothes! Wash your mats! And do it f*cking everyday you scruffy c**nts
McGregor’s upcoming return to action has led to some discussion about the rivalry between the Irishman and Khabib Nurmagomedov’s team reopening.
Should Makhachev retain his grip on the lightweight crown this weekend and McGregor make a statement in his comeback fight opposite Chandler, many are predicting that the UFC will look to pair them opposite one another down the line.
