The UFC 302 concluded as Islam Makhachev beat Dustin Poirier, retaining his title. Makhchev was the heavy favorite going into the fight against Dustin Poirier. Poirier previously beat the up-and-coming Frenchman Benoit St-Denis in the cage to capture the title shot against Islam.
Makhachev was the heavy favorite going into the fight against Poirier, and everyone was convinced the Dagestani would finish the Louisiana native efficiently. But things were quite different in reality.
Islam Makhachev’s head coach heaps praise on Dustin Poirier
Javier Mendes is the head coach of Islam Makhachev and the Dagestani camp. His protege Islam was all set to take on the veteran Dustin Poirier in the octagon. It was quite an exciting fight throughout five rounds as Islam finished him in the fifth round in the main event of UFC 302. Mendes said,
It was a tougher fight than I expected. I really didn’t expect it to be as tough.
Javier Mendes clarified that Dustin Poirier brought the heat on the weekend against Islam. The fight went on in the final round before Makhachev finished Poirier. Dustin hurt Islam on many occasions and possibly won a round, too. He opened up Islam’s wound with a brutal elbow in the third round and hit the Dagestani with some decent body shots in the cage. Islam Makhachev finished Dustin after a five-round war via a tight D’Arce choke in the final round.
The Diamond gave Islam a fight to remember and possibly the most brutal win in his UFC and MMA career. Islam never had a cut open before in the cage. Dustin was hailed on social media as the greatest fighter to have never won the UFC title and is sure to shoot entry into the UFC Hall of Fame after he retires. Islam’s next title defense will be against Arman Tsarukyan after a few months.
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Islam satisfied the odds, retaining his position as the pound-for-pound number one fighter, but he sure had to go through hell to raise his hand against the legendary Dustin Poirier.
ALSO READ: “Islam Will Win” – Charles Oliveira Backs Islam Makhachev to Defeat Dustin Poirier at UFC 302
