Islam Makhachev retained his lightweight title after submitting Dustin Poirier at UFC 302.
The five-round battle went back and forth as both men were able to show off their strengths. Makhachev scored with a lot of control as he successfully took down Poirier. Meanwhile Poirier managed to do some damage as he kept the fight standing.
After returning the fight to the canvas in the fifth round, Makhachev landed a d’arce choke in the third minute.
Makhachev officially scored five takedowns in 16 attempts. He also attempted two submissions before getting the finish in the fifth.
Islam Makhachev retained his lightweight title by submitting Dustin Poirier at UFC 302
After a back-and-forth fight, Makhachev landed an arc choke midway through the fifth.
The champion landed 147 total blows and 88 significant blows. Meanwhile, the Diamond connected 104 in total and 74 significant strikes.
After the event, UFC boss Dana White named the main fight of the night, saying, “You couldn’t ask for a better main event.” Makhachev, along with Kevin Holland, also received a Performance of the Night bonus.
The Prudential Center was sold out with 17,834 fans in attendance. The event also raised $7.25 million, surpassing the Rolling Stones for the spot.
Among the audience was former US President Donald Trump, who received an incredible welcome in New Jersey. Several fighters celebrated with Trump after his victories. Namely Holland and Sean Strickland.
Holland secured a first-round knockout over Michael Oleksiejczuk in their middleweight encounter. After blocking a strong armbar in the first round, referee Herb Dean had to save the Polish fighter from a broken arm because he refused to submit.
Trailblazer quickly jumped out of the cage, shook Trump’s hand and shared a few words with the former president after the victory. While Trump remained calm, Holland was delighted while White smiled in the background.
On the other hand, Strickland earned a split decision over Paulo Costa in the co-main event. Like Holland, he came off the stage and shook the former president’s hand in celebration.
With his victory, Makhachev extended his winning streak to 14, the third-longest in the UFC behind Anderson Silva (16) and Kamaru Usman (15).