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 🏆@MAKHACHEVMMA 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. Michał 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)
Preliminary Card:
Middleweight: Roman Kopylov def. César Almeida via unanimous decision (29-28, 28-29, 30-27)
Heavyweight: Jailton Almeida def. Alexandr Romanov via submission (rear-naked choke): R1, 2:27
Lightweight: Grant Dawson def. Joe Solecki via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
Welterweight: Jake Matthews def. Phil Rowe via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
Early Preliminary Card:
Welterweight: Bassil Hafez def. Mickey Gall via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
In the co-main event of UFC 302, Sean Strickland returned to the win column with a split-decision victory over Paulo Costa.
It was another massively varying scorecard for a Strickland fight with two of the three judges scoring the fight 49-46 for either fighter and another scoring all five for the former champion to get the win.
The story of the fight was the pressure of Strickland as he backed Costa up for the entire duration, using his jabs and body kicks to wear his opponent down.
“Borrachinha” primarily targeted the legs and body but was unable to land enough to edge out the rounds, which were mostly competitive.
Strickland called for a shot at the title in his post-fight interview, alongside professing his support for Donald Trump who was sat cage side.
Fans React With Mixed Feelings To Sean Strickland’s Co-Main Event Win
Despite the split judging, Strickland got the win this time around unlike his bout with Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 297 in January.
He capped off the fifth round and sealed the deal with a head kick that dropped Costa, following it up with several jumping kicks as he chased his opponent around the cage.
Sean Strickland has mastered middleweight by simply having a rhythm to his game. It’s the most basic of rhythms and it never changes, he just fights in a division chock full of idiots
— Omni-Man’s MMA Burner (@zachharknessmma) June 2, 2024
Entering UFC 302 off back-to-back losses, Kevin Holland got a much-needed victory and did it in gruesome fashion.
Holland took on Michal Oleksiejczuk as part of the event’s pay-per-view card. Holland found himself in trouble in the first round, getting dropped by a left hand.
However, he recovered enough to throw up his guard and get into a triangle position, eventually getting his legs around one of Oleksiejczuk’s arms. With Oleksiejczuk not tapping, Holland continued to apply pressure until he appeared to break the arm.
Referee Herb Dean would eventually call the fight, much to the dismay of Oleksiejczuk.
Kevin Holland Likely Breaks Opponent Michal Oleksiejczuk’s Arm At UFC 302
Kevin Holland got cracked in the face and still got dude in the nastiest armbar ever 😭 #ufc302
Kevin Holland a real one because you can tell he didn’t want to do him like that. Sometimes it’s better to wave the white flag and tap, rather than get your elbow cracked #UFC302pic.twitter.com/Rr0xYzjbu0
Holland is now 3-2 in his last five fights, with additional wins over Michael Chiesa and Santiago Ponzinibbio. He entered tonight off back-to-back losses against Jack Della Maddalena and Michael “Venom” Page.
The first finish of the night at UFC 302 came courtesy of Jailton Almeida who made quick work of Alexandr Romanov.
“Malhadinho” bounced back in style from his tough loss to Curtis Blaydes at UFC 299 which ended his undefeated streak inside the Octagon.
Following prior complaints in some of his fights regarding not actively seeking a finish, Almeida didn’t take long before locking in the rear-naked choke after securing an early takedown.
After Romanov attempted to get back to his feet, the choke was locked in and the tap came soon after to break a run of decisions on the card.
Almeida said in his post-fight interview that he saw the scorecards roll in whilst backstage, and was looking to finish the fight as soon as possible.
MMA Fans React To Jailton Almeida Breaking Decision Streak At UFC 302 With First-Round Sub
Due to the criticism that Almeida has faced in the past, particularly for his 25-minute domination over Derrick Lewis, MMA fans were stunned to see the first finish of the night come from the Brazilian.
The reactions poured in on social media, with some hoping that it would be the first of many finishes in Newark.
In his post-fight interview, Almeida called to face Ciryl Gane in a fight that would make a lot of sense for the headliner spot in Paris in September.
The irony of Almeida getting the first finish of the night is hilarious 😂😂😂 #UFC302
UFC 302 didn’t appeal to some MMA fans, even on paper. And things did not get better when Grant Dawson took on Joe Solecki during the preliminary card.
Dawson, known for his grappling, not only scored on all three of his takedown attempts for the fight, but he also had just under 14 minutes of control time during the 15-minute contest – without landing much damage from top position.
Solecki may have taken the first round with more effective activity going for a guillotine choke, but it wasn’t enough to get past Dawson’s unrelenting pressure. Dawson scored 30-27s on two judges’ scorecards and 29-28 on the third.
MMA Community Rips On One-Sided, Grappling-Heavy Victory For Grant Dawson Over Joe Solecki At UFC 302
Fight fans may have to brace themselves after the opening bout of UFC 302 saw quite the controversial scorecard in a one-sided victory.
The early prelims for UFC 302 opened with a bout between The Ultimate Fighter alumnus Mitch Raposo and Andre Lima. While Lima committed a couple of fouls in the opening round to get a hard warning, Raposo put together little offence of note throughout the fight.
One judge, Dave Tirelli, however, seemed to be watching a completely different fight and awarded the bout to Raposo with a 29-28 score. The remaining two judges, however, scored the fight for Lima, earning him a split decision.
The score in Raposo’s favor, however, was enough to get Joe Rogan and Daniel Cormier, on the commentary desk for UFC 302, to openly criticize officiating and scoring of fights.
“I’ve really been an advocate for open scoring and more judges,” Rogan said. “I think three judges is too few.” He also said that “they should be ashamed” to produce a scorecard in favor of Raposo.
Daniel Cormier also echoed Rogan’s sentiments, heavily criticising the judge with the errant scorecard – Dave Tirelli.
MMA Community Goes Off On Judge Who Scored Fight For Mitch Raposo Over Andre Lima At UFC 302
Bro wtf. How is this a split decision???? Clearest 30-27 I’ve ever seen. That scorecard must be investigated immediately. Is this a sick joke??? #UFC302
— Spinnin Backfist (@SpinninBackfist) June 1, 2024
🚨| NOTE: Dave Tirelli, the judge who scored the fight for Mitch Raposo, is scheduled to judge the #UFC302 co-main event between Sean Strickland and Paulo Costa. pic.twitter.com/Ll1bbHyYBP
I think you could make an argument for giving Raposo Round 2. But giving him Round 1 should be grounds for an immediate dismissal for Dave Tirelli tonight. #UFC302
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.
Makhachev had long been touted as a likely successor to his friend, coach, and mentor, the great Khabib Nurmagomedov. A 10-fight win streak that included victories over Arman Tsarukyan, Drew Dober, and Dan Hooker, as well as main event triumphs at the expense of Thiago Moisés and Bobby Green, eventually landed the Dagestani his first shot in 2022.
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!
UFC 302 Ceremonial Weigh-Ins
UFC 302 Ceremonial Weigh-In Faceoffsj
A primeira luta do #UFC302 será entre @MRaposo_ e André Lima! 🇧🇷 Veja a encarada entre os lutadores!
It was always going to be a tall order for Islam Makhachev to live up to what Khabib Nurmagomedov was able to accomplish in the UFC. However since “The Eagle” retired with his undefeated record intact, Makhachev at three years younger has started to take over at 155 pounds.
Despite coming from the same area, team, and dominating style of wrestling, there are some clear differences between the two men…
Adesanya Says Makhachev Is A Better Striker, But Khabib Was A ‘Savage’
Potentially due to being the younger of the two, Makhachev has been able to advance his game further than Nurmagomedov in the eyes of some.
Many point to him being a much better and more natural striker than the former champion, as echoed by Israel Adesanya in his recent breakdown video of Saturday night’s event.
Despite the improvements that the current titleholder has made in this area, Adesanya also pointed out that there was something that Nurmagomedov had that made him special.
“I think he’s got better striking than Khabib, but he’s not as — Khabib was just a savage, bro. He was a crazy man, it’s different. He’s just a mauler,” Adesanya said. “What was the one I watched live? (Edson) Barboza, that one. When I saw that live and the pace he put on him, even after eating the wheel kick… that was scary to watch.
“Makhachev is more clean, more polished, even more dynamic than Khabib,” Adesanya continued. “But yeah, if I’m going to put money on this fight, I’m going to go Islam Makhachev, but look, my heart tells me I want Dustin (Poirier) to win.”
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. Michał Oleksiejczuk (+235)
Niko Price (+210) vs. Alex Morono (-258)
Randy Brown (-180) vs. Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos (+150)
Preliminary Card:
César Almeida (-118) vs. Roman Kopylov (-102)
Jailton Almeida (-325) vs. Alexandr Romanov (+260)
Grant Dawson (-520) vs. Joe Solecki (+390)
Phil Rowe (+136) vs. Jake Matthews (-162)
Early Preliminary Card:
Mickey Gall (+300) vs. Bassil Hafez (-380)
Ailín Pérez (-192) vs. Joselyne Edwards (+160)
André Lima (-285) vs. Mitch Raposo (+230)
Be sure to keep it right here on MMA News tomorrow for all the results, highlights, and updates on UFC 302!
“Malhadinho” is in need of regaining some of the hype he entered 2024 with as a fighter yet to taste defeat inside the UFC Octagon. Those who touted the Brazilian for championship success at heavyweight had to hold their horses after Curtis Blaydes hammer-fisted his way to a TKO win at UFC 299 this past March.
Having escaped relatively unscathed, Almeida pursued a quick turnaround so that he can go someway to righting the wrongs from his unsuccessful outing in Miami. He gets the chance on June 1 when he shares a lineup with some major names again.
Among them is lightweight kingpin Islam Makhachev, who will have the great Khabib Nurmagomedov back in his corner for the UFC 302 main event. And it seems “The Eagle’s” presence in “Brick City” has benefitted Almeida…
Almeida ‘Absorbed’ Tips From Khabib Ahead Of UFC 302
During his appearance at UFC 302 media day on Wednesday, Almeida looked ahead to his upcoming assignment and briefly turned his attention to the man around whom the card was built.
After noting his positive thoughts on both Makhachev and his team, the Brazilian heavyweight revealed he crossed paths with and received some advice from the champ’s mentor, Khabib.
“I’ve always been a big fan of Makhachev. As everyone knows, I’m a fan of that school. I’m a fan of that style,” Almeida said. “I’m a huge Khabib fan. I crossed paths with him doing some training and I really got emotional about it. (He’s) just somebody I’ve always admired.
“I actually found out that he watched my fights and had some comments on my fight. So, I was just there absorbing all the tips, and the fact that he actually watched my fights, and I’ve watched him train as well, so I saw some things,” Almeida added
Almeida has been criticized in recent times for his grappling approach, most notably following a lackluster five-round contest with Derrick Lewis last November. During it, “Malhadinho” amassed heavy control time but neither inflicted heavy damage on “The Black Beast” nor attempted submissions.
Given that Khabib thrived in that regard on the ground, perhaps “The Eagle” provided some encouraging words that could bring Almeida back to his finishing ways at UFC 302.
Sean Strickland still believes that he was screwed over by the judges in his last fight at UFC 297 in January.
The then-middleweight champion lost the title to Dricus Du Plessis in his first defense via the scorecards in Toronto, Canada.
Judge Sal D’Amato scored the fight in Strickland’s favor, giving him rounds one, three and five. Derek Cleary and Eric Colon, meanwhile, saw the fight going the opposite way and both scored the middle rounds to Du Plessis, giving Strickland the first and final rounds.
In Strickland’s opinion, it’s not his actions in these fights that are the problem, it’s the judges, the way they score the fights, and how easily influenced they are by corners.
“It also comes down to bad f****** judges that like, you know, they see guys throwing output and they’re like, ‘Oh yeah, he’s doing good.’ Like, what? No. Even when I fought Jared, and Jared’s a good guy, he’ll throw a combination, I block every single one of them and his corner is like, ‘That’s good, that right hand landed,’ and I’m like, what do you f****** know, didn’t even f****** touch me. But, you know, you have stupid a** judges that are like listening to the corners, as much as they don’t say that, whenever you have a corner saying, ‘You’re winning, you’re throwing punches,’ and the judge is like, ‘He must be winning, his corner is saying so.’
“Dude, judges don’t give a f*** bro, look at judging like a lot of times, they don’t even watch the fight. They don’t give a f***, they’re just government officials just f****** collecting a paycheck.”
Welcome to MMA News Today, a daily feature running down the most interesting stories in the world of mixed martial arts. For May 31, 2024, we’re taking a look at:
Garcia’s team claim ostarine ingestion was unintentional
Costa gets some fight week lessons in
Aliskerov misses out on another big fight
Ryan Garcia’s Team Explains Why They Believe Positive Test Was Caused By Tainted Supplement
Ryan Garcia’s team have put out a statement in response to the recent findings regarding his testing results for his win over Devin Haney.
Garcia’s team believe that this was caused by a tainted supplement, as spoken about in the message that was put out there following the latest update.
“This confirms what we have consistently maintained: Ryan was a victim of supplement contamination and has never intentionally used any banned or performance-enhance substances. Any claims to the contrary, questioning Ryan’s integrity as a clean fighter, are unequivocally false and defamatory.”
The statement also provides several examples of why they believe that this is the case.
It lists the likes of Garcia’s previous track record for voluntary testing, the small traces of ostarine that were found, his other pre-fight tests, and his clean hair sample as points that prove his innocence.
Paulo Costa Receives Twerk Training From UFC Bantamweight Ailin Perez During UFC 302 Fight Week
For a Paulo Costa fight week, UFC 302 appears to have been relatively plain sailing thus far, even if weigh-in day is still to come.
Things can get confusing and crazy very quickly when he’s set to be in action, but in Newark, “Borrachinha” hasn’t been the instigator.
In fact, the only thing that screams Costa fight week was a recent video that surfaced online of him being given twerking lessons from a fellow member of the roster.
Rising Middleweight Ikram Aliskerov Has Yet Another Fight Canceled
Highly regarded middleweight Ikram Aliskerov has had another fight slip through his fingers in 2024.
He was booked to face André Muniz on June 16 but a report from Laerte Viana announced that Muniz was out of the fight.
Aliskerov was named MMA News’ Newcomer of the Year for 2023 following two devastating performances inside the Octagon that should have led to big things in the near future.
The UFC has certainly tried to make that happen but bouts against the likes of Paulo Costa, Nassourdine Imavov, and Anthony Hernandez have all fallen apart during his time in the promotion.
Aliskerov posted on social media to suggest that he will be staying on the card, providing that the UFC can find him a replacement opponent.
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. Michał Oleksiejczuk (185lbs)
Welterweight: Niko Price (170lbs) vs. Alex Morono (170lbs)
Welterweight: Randy Brown (170lbs) vs. Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos (170lbs)
Preliminary Card:
Middleweight: César Almeida (185lbs) vs. Roman Kopylov (185lbs)
Heavyweight: Jailton Almeida (241lbs) vs. Alexandr Romanov (265lbs)
Lightweight: Grant Dawson (155lbs) vs. Joe Solecki (155lbs)
Welterweight: Phil Rowe (171lbs) vs. Jake Matthews (170lbs)
Early Preliminary Card:
Welterweight: Mickey Gall (170lbs) vs. Bassil Hafez (170lbs)
Women’s Bantamweight: Ailín Pérez (135lbs) vs. Joselyne Edwards (136lbs)
Flyweight: André Lima (130lbs)* vs. Mitch Raposo (125lbs)
*André Lima missed the flyweight limit by four pounds, fined 30 percent of his purse
UFC Lightweight Champion Islam Makhachev isn’t buying into the idea that his résumé and strength of schedule in the sport falls significantly below that of his upcoming opponent.
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.
Makhachev will enter Saturday’s headliner as a sizable favorite and with many branding him the clear better fighter. One area that some believe he’s inferior, however, is the matter of résumés.
Former champion Michael Bisping went as far as to say that Poirier’s “smokes” that of the reigning lightweight kingpin during UFC 302 fight week.
Makhachev: Résumé Criticism ‘Does Not Make Sense’
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.
Months on from his rule over the division coming to an end in his first defense at UFC 297, Strickland will look to earn a shot at championship redemption at the expense of one-time title challenger Costa.
When it comes to breaking down the skillsets of both men and their best hopes of having their hand raised inside Prudential Center, nobody is better placed than “The Last Stylebender.”
Adesanya Explains What Costa Must Do At UFC 302
During a video recently uploaded to his FREESTYLEBENDER YouTube channel, Adesanya provided his thoughts and predictions on this Saturday’s numbered event.
Having prepared to throw down with Strickland himself and shared the Octagon with “Tarzan” for 25 minutes, “The Last Stylebender” is in a strong position to offer some advice for another of his former foes in Costa.
“Costa, to win — what would Costa have to do? He’ll have to be aggressive, use body kicks, and also just use his jab. Even if he might not land all of them, or some of them, use his jab as well. Go jab for jab with Strickland,” Adesanya said. “And also mix up the grappling, just to get him (Strickland) tired as well.”
Adesanya evidently isn’t too confident in Costa following the advice to a tee, though, as he went on to predict victory for Strickland at UFC 302.
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.”
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 Michał 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!
This is something that Renato Moicano highlighted during his recent preview of the card on his YouTube channel.
One of Moicano’s fellow fighters out of American Top Team is set to be in action in a fight that he believes is a certain pick in favor of his teammate.
Renato Moicano Highlights Grant Dawson vs. Joe Solecki, Praises Dawson As Top-Tier Grappler
Up to that point, he was putting together a serious run in the lightweight division and now faces Joe Solecki in an attempt to regain that momentum.
Solecki, who is coming off of a loss to Drakkar Klose, is known for his jiu-jitsu skills but Moicano doesn’t believe that he will be effective with them on this occasion.
“Money” said that Dawson is one of the very best grapplers in the UFC right now so even if the fight hits the floor, he will be able to get back to his feet in no time.
“I’m not seeing him losing, I think he is the lock of the card. Especially because Joe Solecki is a BJJ guy, he’s a grappler, I don’t think he’s a better wrestler than Grant Dawson. I think he’s a jiu-jitsu guy that will try takedowns, will fail on the takedowns, will pull guard or even if he does take Grant Dawson down, he will not be able to control Grant Dawson on the ground because Grant Dawson is one of the best grapplers in the UFC.
“Maybe you cannot believe in me but I’m telling you, he is one of the best grapplers on the division. I saw him training against Arman Tsarukyan, I saw him train against Mateusz Gamrot, I train with him myself, so he’s very hard to control, very good grappler.”
Ahead of his showdown with Paulo Costa at UFC 302 this weekend, Sean Strickland’s high pace has been predicted to cause “Borrachinha” problems.
Strickland entered 2024 with the middleweight gold in his possession. But after narrowly losing out to Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 297 in Canada — and subsequently having his calls for an immediate rematch fall on deaf ears — the former champion must earn a shot at redemption in Newark on Saturday night.
To do so, “Tarzan” is tasked with getting past a fellow high-ranked contender in Paulo Costa, who impressed in defeat when making his long-awaited comeback against Robert Whittaker this past February at UFC 298 in Anaheim.
The Brazilian has noted the importance of notching a finish on June 1 in order to stake his claim for a title shot. But should he be required to go the full distance, Costa has said nothing will stop him from having his hand raised.
Unsurprisingly, Strickland’s coach isn’t so sure…
Nicksick Plans To Use Strickland’s Cardio Against Costa
During a recent interview with CBS Sports’ Shakiel Mahjouri, Nicksick was asked which area of this weekend’s UFC 302 co-main event that he sees as a possible struggle for his man’s opponent.
The Xtreme Couture trainer pointed to Strickland’s renowned five-round pace as a hurdle that could prove to be too tall for Costa on fight night.
“I think, to me, the cardio element, the pacing,” Nicksick said. “Sean dictates a certain kind of pace. Even Izzy (Israel Adesanya) said that after the fight. It’s hard to get a rhythm, hard to get a read on him, especially the first time you’ve ever been in the cage with him. So it takes a while for a lot of guys to feel comfortable.
“Johnny Eblen said it the best. Johnny, the first three or four times he sparred with him was like, ‘Oh my god, this guy is overwhelming.’ It takes you a number of opportunities to start to get a rhythm with him,” Nicksick continued. “A lot of that, for me, is just to lean heavy on that, lean heavy on his awkwardness, and try to maintain that pace and pressure and stay in Paulo’s face; really, stay out of kicking range.”
Strickland will hope to prove his coach right come fight night in New Jersey. Should he accomplish that feat, a potential rematch against either Du Plessis or his expected next opponent Adesanya could await him.
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 Michał 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. Michał 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 he’s able to put a run together. This could be the moment for him but I’m 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 Benoît Saint Denis and is (10-3-1) overall in the UFC. I won’t be betting on this fight because I could see it going either way. Right now, I’m 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, don’t count out his grappling. Though he hasn’t 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 he’s 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 – though it will be interesting to see, if this fight does go to the ground, how Brown’s long limbs will help him in such an instance.
The problem for Zaleski dos Santos is that he’s 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 he’s 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 haven’t seen much from Romanov as of yet that makes me think he can break into that top group of heavyweights. So, while this isn’t 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 that’s exactly what we’re going to get here. If you’re a fan of wrestling and grappling, you’ll probably get a kick out of this one. Almeida was on a big win streak coming into his appearance on DWCS, and he’s continued to impress since then – despite getting knocked out by Blaydes. Almeida’s 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 UFC’s record books, as well as the nine takedowns he landed in the first round against Blaydes. If it isn’t obvious a
lready, it’s being the one to land the takedowns and unrelenting top-heavy pressure that is Almeida’s 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 – in terms of both finishes and control time – 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: Almeida’s 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 Almeida’s 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. Michał 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 that’s 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. “Big Mouth” 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 – just have a look at his finishes of Cody Brundage and Chidi Njokuani. That said, he hasn’t faced the same kind of competition that Holland has. And while “Big Mouth” has the talk (including inside the cage) that makes him either loved or hated, there’s no doubt he can hold his own with the middleweight contenders in the Octagon.
Holland has his own explosive power, and don’t 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 that’s 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 “Venom” 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 he’ll 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, he’s lost six times in 11 fights, including his last two. Oleksiejczuk’s recent record is similarly patchy, but while Holland’s rangy boxing may cause problems, I think the Pole will get it done. (Prediction: Michał 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. He’s defensively aware and weaponizes his cardio, two factors that make him a tough fight for Costa. However, if there’s anyone that can out-crazy Strickland, it might be “Borrachinha.” Strickland’s recent losses, aside from the left hand of doom from “Poatan,” 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 that’s competitive through sheer output and because his strikes are more eye-catching.
I’m 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. I’m curious to see what kind of a gameplan Strickland has against the powerful Costa. If the former champion fights smart and doesn’t 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 haven’t always been the biggest fan of Costa’s performances in the Octagon, he poses an interesting challenge in that he has power that Strickland has arguably never seen in the cage before. It’s also arguable to say “Tarzan” hasn’t 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 – 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. I’m 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 doesn’t look to be a true threat to the elite of the division. Unless Costa lands something wild, I can’t 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, it’s hard to pick Poirier in this one. If he fought Makhachev 10 times, I’d imagine he’d win just a few times, and I don’t think Newark is going to be his night — not with the current form of the champion. “The Diamond” is far too good to be counted out and I’m not willing to write him off. But, the simple fact of the matter is it’s hard to favor anyone in the division over Makhachev right now.
There’s 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)
Thomas Albano: With Khabib Nurmagomedov’s fighting days now behind him, Poirier gets one more crack to be the UFC lightweight champion. Unfortunately for him, he’s going to be taking on Khabib’s protégé in Makhachev. Even more unfortunate? “The Eagle” has been working with Makhachev in training camp and will be in the champ’s corner on Saturday night. Khabib and Poirier met for the lightweight title back at UFC 242 in September 2019. While “The Diamond” gave Khabib a scare with his now-known jumping of the gilly, the then-champ controlled a significant amount of the action, putting Poirier away in the third with a choke. Khabib has noted in previous interviews and hype packages that he’s using what he knows of Poirier’s strengths and weaknesses in training the current lightweight king.
Granted, Poirier has evolved over the years. And one place he’ll 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, there’s a big difference between Volkanovski – who was coming up 10 pounds, fighting on short notice, and was a bit drained from all of his in-cage activity – and one of the best 155-pound fighters of the modern day. If Poirier can somehow keep this fight standing – and resist his desire to jump the gilly – then just maybe he can pull off the upset.
But that’s 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, I’m 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. I’m certain Makhachev is mixing up his striking and grappling to confuse his opponent and sap away Poirier’s 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, he’s 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 Poirier’s third shake at the title, and while he’s shown his elite caliber over the years, most recently with his KO of Saint Denis in March, I don’t think he has an answer for Makhachev’s 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.
Preliminary Card:
Middleweight: César Almeida vs. Roman Kopylov
Lightweight: Grant Dawson vs. Joe Solecki
Welterweight: Phil Rowe vs. Jake Matthews
Welterweight: Niko Price vs. Alex Morono
Early Preliminary Card:
Welterweight: Mickey Gall vs. Bassil Hafez
Women’s Bantamweight: Ailín Pérez vs. Joselyne Edwards
Flyweight: André Lima vs. Mitch Raposo
Be sure to keep it right here on MMANews.com tomorrow for all the results, highlights, and updates on UFC 302!
