Islam Makhachev successfully defended his UFC lightweight title against Dustin Poirier in a hard-fought five-round battle at UFC 302 on June 1, 2024. The event took place at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.
Makhachev extended his winning streak to an impressive 14 fights and set a new record for the most title defenses in UFC lightweight history with three. Poirier, who was attempting to claim the undisputed title for the third time, fell short once again after being submitted via D'Arce choke in the fifth round.
The first four rounds saw both fighters displaying impressive resilience and determination. Poirier managed to fend off multiple takedown attempts from Makhachev and escaped several submission attempts. However, midway through the fifth round, Makhachev was able to take Poirier down and quickly secured the submission.
Makhachev's victory marks his third successful title defense since claiming the belt in 2023. He is currently ranked as the pound-for-pound best fighter in UFC and has a record of 26-1.
Poirier, who has a professional record of 30-9, showed great heart and determination throughout the fight but ultimately came up short. The loss marks his third submission defeat in his title fights.
The event was attended by former President Donald Trump, who received a thunderous applause from the crowd as he entered the arena with UFC president Dana White. Trump's appearance at UFC 302 came just hours after he pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree in Manhattan.
The following are facts derived from various sources regarding the event:
- Islam Makhachev defended his UFC lightweight title against Dustin Poirier at UFC 302 on June 1, 2024.
- Makhachev extended his winning streak to an impressive 14 fights and set a new record for the most title defenses in UFC lightweight history with three.
- Poirier fell short in his third attempt for the undisputed title, all three ending by submission.
- Makhachev ran his record to 26-1 and said afterward he may move up in weight for another challenge.
Sources:
- NBC News: Makhachev submits Poirier at UFC 302 to defend lightweight title
- The New York Times: Islam Makhachev retains UFC lightweight title with 5th round submission of Dustin Poirier at UFC 302
- ESPN: Islam Makhachev submits Dustin Poirier to retain UFC title
- UFC.com: Main Card Results