Daniel Cormier believes that Islam Makhachev benefitted massively from the return of Khabib Nurmagomedov to his corner at UFC 302.
The former lightweight champion has been away from the spotlight for some time after stating that he didn’t want to take away from his fighters and planned to spend more time with his family.
However, coach Khabib was back at UFC 302 this past weekend and played a very important role in the main event.
Daniel Cormier Speaks On Khabib Nurmagomedov’s Influence On Islam Makhachev From The Corner
During his immediate post-event reactions from cageside, Cormier recapped the main event on his YouTube channel.
The UFC commentator spoke about how Nurmagomedov’s return to the corner was specifically significant for this particular fight because of the way it played out. He says that for all the success Makhachev had with his striking, it was the former champion who constantly told him to not get carried away and to look for takedowns.
It was “father’s plan” in full effect, and Cormier isn’t sure whether anyone else could have broken through to Makhachev quite like “The Eagle” did.
“You know what’s very important to me was having Khabib back in his corner for a fight that proved to be much more difficult than they anticipated,” Cormier said. “After the third round, guys, they didn’t show it on the TV, Khabib storms the Octagon, gets right in Islam’s face, because you saw Dustin kind of tell him, ‘Let’s go! let’s go m***********!’ And Islam’s like, ‘Alright, let’s go.’ He didn’t say m*********** because then they would have started fighting, but he said, ‘Let’s go, let’s go.’
“Islam was like, ‘Okay,’ and Khabib told him, ‘No, when that happens, you need to take him down, it’s too risky to be standing in front of him.’ It was awesome because I don’t know who can relate or relay that message to him more effectively than Khabib Nurmagomedov.”
Welcome to MMA News Today, a daily feature running down the most interesting stories in the world of mixed martial arts. For June 4, 2024, we’re taking a look at:
Poirier and Makhachev both had struggles in camp
Grasso and Shevchenko have mixed opinions on Noche UFC
Sonnen suggests replacement opponent if McGregor pulls out
Yves Edwards Says Dustin Poirier Couldn’t Grapple Due To Training Injury Two Weeks Before UFC 302
A lot of fight fans assumed that similar to his fight with Khabib Nurmagomedov, Dustin Poirier would struggle to stop the grappling game of Islam Makhachev at UFC 302.
This is only more impressive following some recent comments from a former fighter that had insight into his preparations for Newark.
On SiriuxXM’s MMA Today, Yves Edwards said that Poirier was unable to grapple toward the end of his training camp due to a rib injury.
“The way he performed on Saturday night, that was super impressive to me, and nobody knows this, and he’s probably gonna be like, ‘Man, why’d you put that out there?’ I know [Makhachev] was also not 100 percent. Nobody goes into a fight a 100 percent. But [Poirier] hurt his ribs like two weeks before the fight and hadn’t wrestled or grappled for like two and a half weeks.”
"[Dustin Poirier] hadn't wrestled or grappled for like two and half weeks."@thugjitsumaster reveals an injury that Dustin Poirier suffered in training 2 weeks before #UFC302
She expressed in a recent interview ahead of the premiere of their time coaching across from each other on The Ultimate Fighter that the card was no longer being planned around the celebration of Mexican Independence Day.
This was seemingly news to the champion Grasso who said the opposite after being played a clip of Shevchenko’s comments during an interview with MMA Junkie’s Mike Bohn.
Alexa Grasso was confused when I played her the clip of Valentina Shevchenko’s comments to me today about UFC 306 at Sphere no longer being Mexican Independence Day themed.
Said she’d be happy to fight Manon Fiorot instead if Shevchenko won’t play ball. https://t.co/sk6N0qaD27
“Well as I know, it’s gonna be Noche UFC again. I mean, I’ve seen a few interviews from Dana White and he’s saying that it’s a love letter for the Mexican Independence Day, for the Mexican fighters that he has.”
Chael Sonnen Pitches Title Fight For Michael Chandler If Conor McGregor Withdraws From UFC 303
The late-notice cancellation of the UFC 303 press conference has got fight fans worried about whether the main event will go ahead.
For seemingly months on end, there were questions of whether Conor McGregor would ever return to face Michael Chandler or whether that ship was sailing. Everything appeared to be heading in the right direction once the fight was made official for June 29. Now, back-up plans are starting to be questioned.
Chael Sonnen expressed on a recent episode of the Good Guy/Bad Guy show on ESPN MMA that he can’t see McGregor pulling out of the fight no matter what.
He did also add that if “The Notorious” can’t fight, the UFC should have the BMF champion on speed dial ready to save the show.
“One of Conor’s codes is the show must go on… I just don’t believe, a month in advance — whether it’s illness, injury, or any other excuse — that Conor’s gonna be the one that pulls,” Sonnen said. “But I will tell you this, there will be no postponement of this fight. They either fight on the 29th or we move on.
“I believe Conor’s gonna be opposite Michael Chandler. I’m very confident in telling you that,” Sonnen continued. “However, if he’s not, Michael Chandler versus Max Holloway for the BMF is the fight to book.”
Should the promotion look to keep him at middleweight post-UFC 302, Kevin Holland has a matchup in mind.
Holland made the most of a short-notice opportunity on this past weekend’s pay-per-view main card, bouncing back from consecutive defeats to Jack Della Maddalena and Michael “Venom” Page.
In his return to 185 pounds, “Trailblazer” made quick work of Michał Oleksiejczuk. After being dropped early, Holland was quick to lock his Polish opponent into a gruesome armbar.
Given his ambidexterity when it comes to weight classes, Holland is open to making the walk at either welterweight or middleweight next time out. If the UFC favors the latter, though, “Big Mouth” would like to revisit a matchup…
Holland Wants To Test Improved Wrestling In Vettori Rematch
During a backstage interview with Sportsnet’s Aaron Bronsteter at Newark’s Prudential Center, Holland outlined his intentions to make a quick turnaround and highlighted opponent options at both 170 and 185 pounds.
“At ’85, there’s probably a lot of guys I’d like to fight. I’d like a Marvin Vettori rematch if I’m gonna stay at ’85,” Holland said. “I don’t know what he did his last fight. I think I’ve got my wrestling takedown defense a little bit better. You know, I finished him (Oleksiejczuk) off my back. My jiu-jitsu just got better. I don’t know, I just wanna fight.”
Having worked on his takedown defense and ground game in the years since, Holland evidently wants a go at avenging that result down the line.
Vettori’s current status is unclear. The Italian was set for a main event against Brendan Allen this past April but withdrew through injury after a “freak accident.” It remains to be seen when he’ll be able to compete again, and whether it would fit in with Holland’s plan for a quick return post-UFC 302.
Following his second setback of 2024, UFC middleweight contender Paulo Costa would appear to have at least one option already for his return to action.
While he impressed in defeat against one former champion in Robert Whittaker at UFC 298 this past February, the same can’t be said for Costa’s performance opposite another on June 1.
In the co-main event of UFC 302, “Borrachinha” looked to climb the ladder at the expense of Sean Strickland, who was making his first appearance since losing the title in Canada earlier this year.
Although the pair promised a bloody brawl during fight week, that was far from the case inside Prudential Center, with “Tarzan” ultimately emerging victorious from a lackluster affair.
Chris Curtis Interested In Costa Clash Upon Return From Injury
Having seen Costa receive heavy criticism from fans and analysts after his disappointing display in Newark on Saturday night, Chris Curtis took to social media with some words of encouragement.
“The Action Man” knows full well the struggle that comes with solving Strickland’s unique style having gone numerous rounds with him in the training room. With that in mind, he sympathized with “Borrachinha.”
And Curtis concluded his message with a proposal, offering to stand and bang with Costa upon his return from injury later this year.
“Anybody who has sparred Strickland knows he is a weird style to deal with. @BorrachinhaMMA no shame man, it happens,” Curtis wrote. “If you (want) someone in the middle and swing til someone goes down, I’m cleared soon and looking to fight in September. Would be an honour. @Mickmaynard2”
While that result kept him at #15 in the rankings, it stands to reason that Costa will need to fight down the pecking order next time out after slipping to #8 following his second defeat of 2024.
And in the aftermath of UFC 302, MMA News has you covered with this week’s updates to the official UFC rankings.
Men’s Pound-For-Pound: While the MMA community remains in hot discussion over Dana White’s insistence that Jon Jones should be above Islam Makhachev, the latest shift in the P4P order has affected the other champion in Jones’ division, interim heavyweight titleholder Tom Aspinall.
Despite holding gold since knocking out Sergei Pavlovich, the Brit has dropped one place to #13. Benefitting from that is ex-lightweight champ Charles Oliveira, who has moved back up to #12 despite falling short against Arman Tsarukyan at UFC 300 this past April.
Women’s Pound-for-Pound: No changes.
Women’s Strawweight: No changes.
Women’s Flyweight: No changes.
Women’s Bantamweight: No changes.
Flyweight: Months on from suffering his second straight loss to Tim Elliott last December, Sumudaerji has been removed from the rankings at 115 pounds. In his place, Cody Durden has returned at #15. The American was submitted by Tagir Ulanbekov last time out but had previously won four straight.
Bantamweight: No changes.
Featherweight: No changes.
Lightweight: No changes.
Welterweight: No changes.
Middleweight: Sean Strickland remains the number one contender at 185 pounds following his victory in a lackluster co-main event at UFC 302. His defeated opponent, meanwhile, has slid further from contention, with Paulo Costa down one position at #8 as a result of his second setback this year. His slight fall has boosted Nassourdine Imavov up one place to #7 ahead of his headliner against Jared Cannonier this weekend in Louisville.
As pointed out on commentary during the main event, “The Eagle” was incredibly animated during some of the rounds after Makhachev showed a willingness to stand and strike with Poirier.
Though the champion got the better of many of the exchanges, boxing with “The Diamond” was always going to be the best chance that the challenger had to win the fight.
Mendez Says Khabib’s Passion Led To Corner Receiving Multiple Warnings From The Commission
During his podcast, coach Javier Mendez recapped the fight and how he felt Makhachev performed in Newark.
The AKA head coach stated that the commission in New Jersey were constantly warning their corner to settle down due to Nurmagomedov’s actions during the fight where he repeatedly called for Makhachev to initiate the grappling.
It has been a while since the former champion was working the corner and Mendez said that he forgot just how passionate “The Eagle” gets when he’s coaching his fighters.
“I had Khabib in the corner going crazy on me. Like, I forgot how crazy he is in the corner, so nuts man. I’m like, I’m trying to calm him down and say hey, don’t worry, don’t worry, just scream loud but, ‘No coach, I have…’ but that’s his style, that’s his dad’s style, that’s his style. But I’m trying to get him to settle down a little bit, so the commission kept yelling at us, ‘Sit down! Sit down! Sit down!’ And it almost reminded me of the old style. But Khabib’s an unbelievable corner, he gives unbelievable advice.”
Whilst the defending champ did secure a takedown and get the submission in the fifth round, up until that point, a lot of the contest took place on the feet.
Makhachev showed in his fights with Alexander Volkanovski that though it isn’t necessarily his strongest skillset, he’s more than capable of striking with his opponents as his confidence improves in this area.
Makhachev’s corner, and Khabib Nurmagomedov specifically, were calling for the champion to constantly threaten the takedown.
Whilst he was winning the majority of the striking exchanges, boxing with “The Diamond” is a dangerous game to play.
Makhachev was ahead on two of the judges’ scorecards going into the fifth and final round with Eric Colon and Sal D’Amato both having Poirier in need of a finish to leave with the 155-pound title.
Judge Chris Lee had the fight even but as he stated on his MMArcade Podcast, former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker saw it being far more one-sided for Makhachev.
“The Reaper” stated that despite it being a great fight, the champion was winning each round with his striking or grappling.
“Makhachev beat him there a lot of the rounds, I had him winning every round. I thought he was outstriking him in a lot of the rounds, I understand there was a lot of significant strikes passed between them, there was a lot of tit-for-tat moments but mate, it was great to watch. I thought that was such a, like I said, I think in my opinion it was one of the better title fights we’ve seen in a long time.”
After being knocked down inside the first minute, Holland was able to quickly recover and lock up an armbar submission from the bottom.
From there, the position only got worse for Oleksiejczuk who refused to tap as Holland controlled the arm and spoke to him throughout.
Gradually realizing that his opponent wasn’t going to give him the win without doing significant damage first, “Big Mouth” dialled up the intensity to force an end to the fight through a technical submission.
Holland has produced some incredible finishes during his time in the promotion and will always be a fan favorite but he has struggled to compete with the very best.
McCarthy Questions Whether Kevin Holland Is Mean Enough For Top Level Of MMA
During a recent episode of the Weighing In podcast, Josh Thomson and “Big” John McCarthy recapped all of the action from UFC 302.
Both men were impressed by Holland’s display as he once again proved his ability to compete at both welterweight and middleweight.
However, McCarthy noticed one thing in this fight that could prove to be something that holds Holland back when it comes to competing at the highest level.
The way he only really put the pressure on the arm of his opponent after it became clear that he wasn’t going to tap was compared to fighters in the past that have tried to take the arm home with them as soon as they got the hold locked in.
“I’m going to be honest about this, the one attribute he doesn’t have, he’s not mean. He’s not, because I’m telling you right now, Frank Mir had that arm, you know just watching that fight, he’s sat there and he’s kind of like trying to put a little more pressure, a little more pressure like it is training and kind of looks up (at the referee) like ‘Hey!’ and finally says ‘Okay, I’m gonna have to do this, I’m sorry’ and puts it under his arm.
“All I’m telling you is Frank Mir, dude as soon as he grabbed that arm, he’s trying to take it off of your body. Carlos Condit, he’s trying to take it off your body. Josh Barnett, he’s trying to take it off your body. He wants to take that thing, pull it off your body and smack you in the head with it.”
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.”
He echoed the same sentiment in his post-fight interview after being submitted by Islam Makhachev in the main event.
With another shot at capturing the lightweight title being unlikely, Poirier said that he needs to look at why he’s still fighting and focus on being with his family.
“The Diamond” has had an incredible career, competing 40 times in the pro ranks and fighting the very best in his weight class.
A former champion believes that whilst there are still fights out there for him, getting out now may be his best option.
Michael Bisping Speaks From Personal Experience, Says Dustin Poirier Should Retire
Former UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping spoke about what could be next for Poirier during a video on his YouTube channel.
He named two opponents that would make a lot of sense for him before he does call time on his career but despite that, is leaning towards Poirier hanging up the gloves.
“So Justin Gaethje, Alexander Volkanovski, they’re my two top picks or, does he walk off into the sunshine. Listen, make hey whilst the sun is shining but, he’s made a lot of hay, he’s got money in the bank, he’s represented himself with class. He went toe-to-toe with Islam Makhachev, he’s been in there with some of the best fighters on the planet and put on some absolute wars and as he said, if he considers his smokers and his kind of amateur fights, he’s had about 50 fights.”
Bisping also spoke from personal experience about why Poirier should leave combat sports behind despite it being a tough decision to make.
Having retired in 2018, “The Count” has been able to explore new avenues and he believes the same may be the case for Louisiana’s finest.
“He’s only 35 years old, he’s got a lot of life left to live so go off, enjoy yourself. That would be my suggestion. I would love to see him fight Volk, I would love to see him fight Gaethje but for me, I would say the best thing that I ever did was walk away from combat sports. It’s a very, very hard thing. It’s all that you know, you’ve dedicated your entire life to it but when you do it, when you reach those kinds of heights, it opens so many other doors. So Dustin Poirier, whatever you do decide, all the best, congratulations.”
A major talking point both before and after his fight with Paulo Costa this past weekend was the fighting style of Sean Strickland.
In back-to-back fights, Strickland showed how his unique approach can both be very effective and cause him some issues.
His title win over Israel Adesanya was a great display of defensive pressure but against Dricus Du Plessis, he lost close rounds by not opening up or landing eye-catching strikes.
The former middleweight champion got the win at UFC 302 but it was very much more of the same from the Xtreme Couture fighter as he walked Costa down, kept him at range and blocked anything coming back at him.
In recapping the fights on his MMArcade Podcast, Robert Whittaker spoke about the style that Strickland brings to the Octagon.
The former champion is one of the few top middleweights that “The Reaper” is yet to cross paths with and from his words, it doesn’t sound like it’s something he’s looking forward to.
Whittaker spoke about how nobody fights quite like Strickland does in his unorthodox stance and movement and how he could feel the frustration of what is like to compete against just from watching him on TV.
“I think that’s just his fight style. His fight style looks annoying as hell dude. He looks like a kid when a brother or sister is like ‘I’m walking forward and if you walk into it, it’s your own fault’ sort of thing. With those teep kicks just like rapid fire one after the other dude and Costa was on his bike the whole time, I think you can’t do that with Sean.”
Following his return to the winner’s circle at UFC 302, Kevin Holland named Joaquin Buckley as one option for his next fight.
Holland entered this past weekend’s pay-per-view event at Newark’s Prudential Center on a losing skid, having dropped consecutive decisions to Jack Della Maddalena and Michael “Venom” Page down at 170 pounds.
After noting a willingness to do battle at either welterweight or middleweight, “Big Mouth” threw out the name of Joaquin Buckley as a possible opponent option post-UFC 302.
“Whatever the UFC wants me to do. I’m pretty sure there’s somebody that needs their ass whooped,” Holland said. “Joaquin Buckley keeps running his mouth. Maybe I have to go whoop him. That is my son. You know, you gotta always keep your kids in line.”
— Aaron Bronsteter (@aaronbronsteter) June 2, 2024
Holland and Buckley previously collided at the Apex back in 2020, where the former recorded a knockout 32 seconds into the third and final round. The result was the second on a record run of five straight wins in that calendar year for “Trailblazer.”
Buckley subsequently rose to prominence by delivering an all-time great knockout against Impa Kasanganay. After his progress at 185 pounds stalled, “New Mansa” now finds himself ranked at welterweight following victories over Vicente Luque and Nursulton Ruziboev in 2024.
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.”
The result marked Poirier’s third failed attempt at reaching the 155-pound mountaintop, with the former interim champ previously suffering defeats to both Khabib Nurmagomedov and Charles Oliveira with gold on the line.
Ahead of the June 1 card in New Jersey, the Louisianan noted that retirement could follow regardless of the result. That appears to still be the case, with Poirier telling Joe Rogan inside the Octagon post-fight that his career could well be at its conclusion.
But after seeing how competitively he performed as a massive underdog at UFC 302, one former fighter hopes to see “The Diamond” continue throwing down…
Cormier Tells Poirier: There’s Still Money To Be Made, Big Fights To Be Had
During a video recently uploaded to his YouTube channel, Cormier provided his immediate thoughts on UFC 302 while still sat cageside following the end of the PPV card.
Despite Poirier admitting that the event could have marked his last outing inside the cage, “DC” hopes to see the Louisianan fan favorite continue in the form of big-name fights, even if it means he makes the walk less often.
“If Dustin Poirier’s leaving this game, he leaves us with a ton of memories,” Cormier said. “I don’t want to see him go. I don’t know that he should go. I think that what Dustin Poirier should do is take the big fights. He’s such an attraction now in the world of fighting that he’s got a lot of money to be made, but also a lot of big fights to be had.
“He’s only 35 years old. He can do this for a long time. Maybe don’t fight as frequently, but continue to make that walk,” Cormier continued. “Because once you’re done, you’re done and you can’t come back from it. Sometimes that sucks, especially for a guy that seemingly has a lot of years ahead of him.”
It remains to be seen what the future holds for Poirier.
He’s previously been left in a similar limbo in the aftermath of his failed title bid opposite Oliveira in 2021. “The Diamond” initially suggested that only fun fights would bring him back before ultimately embarking on another run toward the belt.
Time will tell whether or not the coming months will see Poirier change his stance or commit to a departure from active competition on the back of a valiant performance in Newark.
UFC 302 is in the books, meaning attention will soon turn to the mixed martial arts leader’s next pay-per-view offering.
The promotion was in Newark, New Jersey, last week, where the Prudential Center played host to a number of intriguing matchups. Of note were victories for UFC Lightweight Champion Islam Makhachev, former middleweight kingpin Sean Strickland, the always entertaining Kevin Holland, and heavyweight contender Jailton Almeida.
While the aftermath of the June 1 card is currently the talk of the town, it won’t be long until focus sways to the next PPV, and from the current crop of elite lightweights to one of the division’s former champs.
At UFC 303, set for Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena on June 29, former two-division UFC titleholder Conor McGregor will make the walk for the first time since suffering a gruesome leg break against Dustin Poirier in July 2021.
Hill, Ulberg, Garry, Page Set The Stage For McGregor Headliner At UFC 303
Before “The Notorious” Irishman makes his long-awaited comeback in the main event, a number of high-profile names will take to the Octagon looking to make the post of their position on the major card.
After the two elite strikers open the main card, Joe Pyfer and Mayra Bueno Silva will look to bounce back from their defeats earlier this year. After a main event loss to Jack Hermansson, “Bodybagz” is tasked with getting the better of veteran Canadian Marc-André Barriault. “Sheetara,” meanwhile, must rebound at the expense of Macy Chiasson months on from an unsuccessful challenge for the vacant bantamweight gold against Raquel Pennington.
Then, setting the stage for McGregor vs. Chandler in the co-main event will be former light heavyweight champ Jamahal Hill. “Sweet Dreams” is making a quick turnaround following his knockout loss to Alex Pereira at UFC 300. He’ll share the cage with the charging Carlos Ulberg, who is stepping in as a short-notice replacement for Khalil Rountree.
See below for the full UFC 303 card, as it stands.
Main Card:
Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler (welterweight main event)
Jamahal Hill vs. Carlos Ulberg (light heavyweight co-main event)
Mayra Bueno Silva vs. Macy Chiasson (women’s bantamweight)
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, we’re 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.
🚨| Confirmation that anyone who had a ticket for today’s postponed Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler press conference will be able to attend the rescheduled press conference whenever that takes place.
“Trailblazer” quickly returned to the win column, landing a submission victory over Oleksiejczuk that will no doubt go down as one of the most gruesome in recent memory.
Holland On UFC 302 Armbar: ‘I’m Going To Have To Do A Full-Blown Break…’
During his post-fight press conference, Holland looked back on the finishing sequence of his clash with Oleksiejczuk, which came just over 90 seconds into the bout.
“Big Mouth” recalled hearing a quick pop of the arm, which wasn’t enough to draw a tap out of “Hussar.” Holland joked that responsibility for the injury lies with referee Herb Dean, who dismissed his initial calls to halt the fight before applying further pressure on Oleksiejczuk’s arm.
“Herb Dean’s fault. I asked him to stop it a little earlier, but Herb Dean was like, ‘You’ve got to go a little bit longer.’ Alright, cool, cool,” Holland said jokingly. “When I first put him in the armbar, I heard the pop. After that, it wasn’t popping again and I was like, I’m going to have to do a full-blown break. So I kept trying to do a little chihuahua scoot, get myself underneath there and then hit a good pull after that. But the guy is tough as nails.
“He hit me with a good shot. Tough guy… I fought John Phillips for my first UFC win, and I had a feeling he would be like John Phillips but better,” Holland continued. “I definitely want to win the fight because I like both of my checks, but (I wish) no harm to him. I hope he’s okay and I hope it’s truly not broken because he seemed to be a cool guy.”
The result marked Holland’s first victory since a first-round D’arce choke against Michael Chiesa at UFC 291 last July. Defeats to Jack Della Maddalena and Page subsequently halted his charge up the welterweight ladder.
Having rebounded up at 185 pounds, it remains to be seen which division will stage the 31-year-old’s Texan’s next outing. But given his penchant for high activity, it likely won’t be long until we find out.
Former two-time UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya had a vested interest as Sean Strickland and Paulo Costa shared the cage in this past weekend’s co-main event.
While Saturday’s UFC 302 pay-per-view event in Newark, New Jersey, closed out in style with a blockbuster championship headliner, it wasn’t short on disappointments. According to most, that included the five-round affair between Strickland and Costa.
Leading into the event, the matchup was widely pointed to as among the most intriguing on the UFC 302 lineup. With that in mind, plenty of eyes were on the co-headliner, including those of Adesanya.
Adesanya Reacts To Strickland’s UFC 302 Win: ‘Costa Sucks Off His Back Foot’
Having defeated Costa back in 2020 and lost the middleweight title to Strickland just last September, the Nigerian-New Zealander paid close attention to the co-main event at Prudential Center.
“Costa sucks off the back foot. He’s not really good off the back foot,” Adesanya said. “He’s doing better in this fight. Costa could set him up here, man, ’cause (Strickland’s) so worried about that leg. He’s marching! (laughs)… It’s easier said than done (to stand your ground against Strickland), I’ll tell you that. But if you’ve worked on it, you know how to do it.”
Adesanya will likely now have the possibility of a second dance with Strickland at the back of his mind. First things first, though, he’ll need to dethrone Dricus Du Plessis to achieve three-time champ status.
UFC middleweight Paulo Costa fell to a second straight loss in 2024 this past weekend, and he’s now vowing to make changes.
Costa returned to action after an 18-month layoff this past February in Anaheim, where he impressed in defeat against former champion Robert Whittaker. The same can’t be said when it comes to his efforts against another ex-titleholder on June 1, however.
In the co-main event of Saturday’s pay-per-view, “Borrachinha” shared the Octagon with Sean Strickland. While the pair promised a bloodbath at last week’s press conference, it turned out to be the opposite on fight night.
Costa Vows Violence From Here On Out After UFC 302 Loss: ‘F*ck Points!’
A day on from his latest setback — his fourth in five fights since extending his then-undefeated record to 10-0 against Yoel Romero in 2019 — Costa addressed his UFC 302 performance in a video uploaded to X (formerly Twitter).
“I just came to say a few words. Yeah, Sean won. I didn’t perform very well. I think he didn’t either, but at least he did enough to win, right? This is two losses in a row in three fights, three former champs — Luke Rockhold, (Robert) Whittaker, and Sean,” Costa said (h/t MMA Fighting). “I won one and lost two. But let me tell you something, I agree with Dana (White) and Joe Rogan, and I will do that — I will bring back the (old) Paulo to take heads off, to finish the fight. I’m not that kind of counter (fighter), sorry, I’m not that kind of counter guy. I do better (when I) move forward and try to finish and look for heads.
“Sean is so awkward, so different kind of fighter to fight against, it’s difficult. He was teeping me, keeping (away), pushing me, keep pushing me, keep me far from him, because he knows the power that I have. And I have the power, so I need to deliver that — and I will do that. I won’t give a f*ck. F*ck points or conserving energy or f*ck anything about that. I will come to take heads off,” Costa continued. “And this is who I am, this is the kind of fighter I am, and the fighter who people expect that I perform (as). So I will do that. F*ck points, I’ve (had) enough of this. Even the first round that I was 100 percent sure that I won, some people thought I lost. F*ck them. I will come to take heads off. That’s it, who I am.”
It remains to be seen what lies in Costa’s future, but it stands to reason that he’ll be defending his #7 spot in the rankings next time out and will need to string together some wins if he’s to return to title contention.
Things never came easy for Dustin Poirier, both in his personal life and his career. That carried into UFC 302, where he came up short in what was likely his last chance to become an undisputed world champion in MMA.
And yet, through it all, Poirier maintained a positive attitude in times of victory and defeat.
Reflecting back on the person he is, showing resilience and perseverance even after a devastating loss, Poirier says it also comes down to being grateful for the life he’s been able to have and the dream he’s been able to live.
“After the [Justin] Gaethje fight was a big test for me in my personal growth,” Poirier told Megan Olivi in an interview for ESPN MMA after UFC 302. “Practicing mindfulness and practicing gratitude, because…without gratitude, nothing’s ever enough. My cup’s full, my family’s good, I have my health, they have theirs, I’m chasing dreams.
“I’m living the life that I could have only imagined as a kid just by chasing my dreams. I came up short tonight, and it hurts bad because, like I said, I know I’m not going to get another chance. I’m probably not going to get another chance to be the undisputed world champion. And that meant a lot to me.”
Dustin Poirier Regrets Not ‘Taking More Chances’ During Striking Exchanges With Makhachev
Heading into UFC 302 as an underdog, Poirier already seemed to be in trouble in the first round, getting taken down by defending champion Islam Makhachev and nearly submitted on more than one occasion.
But, “The Diamond” told Olivi that every time he got off the stool, he felt that he had the chance to find a way to win. And that was seen in the second round, when Poirier’s takedown defenses were on point and he forced a round of standing and trading.
Makhachev got the fight back down to the ground in the third, but in the fourth, Poirier landed noteworthy body shots that got the champion’s attention. Unfortunately for the challenger, Makhachev ultimately finished things off in the fifth frame with a D’arce choke.
“It was a world title fight with the best guy in the world; it was everything I thought it was going to be,” Poirier said. “I feel like I could have [done] more. I said that in the Khabib [Nurmagomedov] fight as well. I could have picked up the volume, took more chances on the feet. He was just similar to Khabib moving weird. His cadence was weird. His head movement was weird. When he would commit to the pocket, he would exit weird. My shots just weren’t there to land.
“I don’t know if it was the third or fourth round, he pulled me off of the fence before I switched him, and I felt my knee and my shin slide over each other. And then it started feeling like burning; I’ll have to get that checked out but it didn’t bother me getting off the stool or anything like that for the next round…that’s fighting. You’re going to get busted up.”
It’s unknown if Poirier will ever return to the Octagon again, and making a decision in a time like he was in isn’t always the best timing. But at the end of the day, the gratitude the Louisianan has practiced keeps his spirits high.
“Life is good,” Poirier said. “I have more to be grateful for than to complain about for sure.”
While it wasn’t a fight that seemed to live up to its hype, Sean Strickland and his forward-footed pressure outworked Paulo Costa over the course of 25 minutes at UFC 302.
But, what seemed like an assured victory wasn’t, thanks to one judge.
Dave Tirelli scored the fight 49-46 for Costa in spite of the bout clearly looking one-sided in Strickland’s favor.
After already bringing out a controversial scorecard in the opening preliminary card bout between Mitch Raposo and André Lima, this scoring from Tirelli has gotten him scorched by everyone, ranging from UFC CEO Dana White and commentator Joe Rogan to fight fans and media members across social media.
Strickland himself let his displeasure be known while talking with Megan Olivi in a backstage interview for ESPN MMA following his victory.
“The judges are crazy, guys,” Strickland said. “I don’t think they watch fighting, I don’t think they know fighting. You never know; if you leave it in the hands of the judges, only the gods know.”
Strickland Willing To Sit Out & Wait For Shot At UFC Middleweight Title
In Strickland’s eyes, the reason that the fight went to the final horn as it did was because Costa did not fight how the former champion expected. As a result, according to Strickland, he wasn’t able to chase the Brazilian down and get the finish.
“I didn’t think he was going to back up,” Strickland said. “Costa’s not known to fight like that. I don’t know, man… I wasn’t expecting to fight like that. It’s a damn shame. I wanted to finish him, but unless I was running at a full sprint, I just couldn’t catch him.”
This fight was Strickland’s first since losing the middleweight championship in a close decision to Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 297 this past January.
Though Strickland felt he did enough to get the win, as did White back then, he was willing to be a “company man” and take this fight. Now, however, Strickland says he’s willing to wait on the sidelines until he gets a rematch.
“I paid my dues; I did what I had to do,” Strickland said. “Every time you lose, and I think the world knows I beat Dricus, every time you lose, you have to pay your penance. I did my penance with Costa, and no damage…give it to me. I’ll wait.”
It’s expected that Du Plessis will defend the middleweight title against Israel Adesanya — the man Strickland upset for the belt — at UFC 305 this August in Perth, Australia.
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 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
“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.
Heading into UFC 302, Dustin Poirier claimed that if he did not walk out of the Octagon as UFC lightweight champion, he could leave his gloves in the middle of the cage and walk away from the sport.
Poirier lost to Islam Makhachev in the card’s main event, and while he didn’t retire, “The Diamond” suggested that competing “just to fight” may not be enough to convince him to come back.
One man, however, seems to think a fight with him may hold the key to convince Poirier to not wrap up his career yet — Alexander Volkanovski.
In a new video on his YouTube channel, the former UFC featherweight champion suggested that a fight with him at lightweight may pose a new challenge for Poirier that could convince him to go at least another bout.
“He thinks he might be retiring, not sure — maybe, just maybe, depending on what I’m doing…obviously I want to fight later in the year…I don’t want to wait too long either…if the timing works, maybe me and Dustin can maybe have a good fight,” Volkanovski said.
Alexander Volkanovski Thinks Him vs. Dustin Poirier Will Be A ‘Massive’ Fight
Volkanovski has lost three of his last four fights. In 2023, with a title defense against Yair Rodriguez sandwiched between, Volkanovski attempted twice to challenge Islam Makhachev for the UFC lightweight championship.
The Australian fell short in a classic, close decision at UFC 284 in February 2023 and then, competing on about 10 days’ notice, was brutally knocked out by Makhachev at UFC 294 last October.
Volkanovski was again viciously slept at UFC 298 this past February, dropping the 145-pound title to Ilia Topuria. The second KO loss in a four-month span prompted plenty of concern around Volkanovski competing again without a long layoff.
“Alexander the Great” added in his video that this wouldn’t be a complete move up to 155 pounds, but rather something to challenge himself while waiting to get another crack at the featherweight championship.
“I know he sort of just wants good, fun fights. Obviously, we have a lot of respect for each other, and I think that would be a massive fight,” Volkanovski said. “That’s something I would be willing to do while I’m waiting for that featherweight title — maybe a lightweight fight against someone like Dustin Poirier would be great.”
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 don’t think he’s 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 shouldn’t be ranking in the pound-for-pound, or doing any of the f****** rankings ever if that’s 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 — 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 — 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 — 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.
And in a story of irony that even Jim Carrey couldn’t have played up, poor Mitch Raposo had to absorb multiple eye pokes from André Lima.
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 — 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.
Oh, and honorable mentions for 29-28 César Almeida, 30-27 Grant Dawson, and 49-46 Paulo Costa (Tirelli, again).
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 — 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.
Roman Kopylov followed his early success in the striking realm by smothering César Almeida on the ground. It was during this exchange when the pair stated that control time wasn’t enough and began discussing standups.
Wouldn’t be clear and obvious bias would it, boys?
The sooner Laura Sanko — the only commentator who seems willing to do her job correctly — 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 Michał 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 — 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.
Ultimately, Poirier fell victim to an ankle pick and D’arce choke late on. But after a valiant performance in defeat, the Louisianan cemented himself as a legend of the sport who doesn’t need the undisputed crown on his résumé to deserve top plaudits.
Oh, and after a lackluster event, what a way to finish things off.
