UFC 302 RECAP: Islam Makhachev scores late submission of Dustin Poirier to retain title | CBS Sports
Summary
TLDRUFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev retained his title after a grueling five-round battle with Dustin Poirier at UFC 302. Despite Poirier's valiant effort, which could mark the end of his career, Makhachev's superior wrestling and technique led to a late submission victory. Makhachev's win ties him for the most lightweight title defenses, and his sights are now set on moving up to the welterweight division. Meanwhile, questions remain about whether Poirier will return to the Octagon, and anticipation builds for Conor McGregor's upcoming fight against Michael Chandler at UFC 303.
Takeaways
- π Islam Makhachev retained his UFC lightweight championship title after submitting Dustin Poirier in round five.
- π₯ The fight was a highly competitive and dramatic five-round battle, showcasing the heart and determination of both fighters.
- π€ Dustin Poirier may have fought his last match, as he did not commit to a rematch and hinted at retirement after the fight.
- πͺ Despite not winning the undisputed championship, Poirier demonstrated the heart and will of a world-class fighter throughout his career.
- π₯ Makhachev's victory ties him for the most title defenses in lightweight history, with his third successful defense.
- π Team Makhachev was unusually emotional post-fight, highlighting the intensity and significance of the victory.
- π Makhachev expressed interest in moving up to the 170lb welterweight division after proving his dominance at lightweight.
- π€ The prospects for Makhachev in the welterweight division are considered very bright, given his flawless fighting skills and impressive record.
- π€ Dustin Poirier is recognized as an American hero and a crossover pay-per-view star, known for his charitable work and ambassadorship for the sport.
- π₯ The debate continues over whether Poirier is one of the greatest fighters to never win a UFC title, considering his impressive list of victories and performances.
- π Conor McGregor is set to fight Michael Chandler at UFC 303, returning to the octagon after a period of inactivity and other pursuits.
Q & A
Who is the current UFC lightweight champion?
-Islam Makhachev is the current UFC lightweight champion.
How did Islam Makhachev retain his UFC lightweight championship?
-Islam Makhachev retained his UFC lightweight championship by submitting Dustin Poirier late in round five.
What was the significance of the fight between Islam Makhachev and Dustin Poirier?
-The fight was significant as it was a hard-fought, five-round battle that could potentially mark the end of Dustin Poirier's career and was part of UFC 302.
How did Dustin Poirier perform in the fight against Islam Makhachev?
-Dustin Poirier showed great heart and guts, managing to rally back and bloody Makhachev in the championship rounds, despite eventually being submitted.
What does the future hold for Islam Makhachev after his victory at UFC 302?
-Islam Makhachev expressed interest in moving up to the 170-pound welterweight division after proving his dominance in the lightweight division.
What was Brian Campbell's assessment of Dustin Poirier's career and potential retirement?
-Brian Campbell suggested that Dustin Poirier's connection to his family and his accomplishments outside the cage might mean that this could be the end of his fighting career, despite his passion for the sport.
What is the historical significance of Islam Makhachev's third title defense?
-Islam Makhachev's third title defense ties him for the most title defenses in lightweight history.
What are the prospects for Islam Makhachev moving up to the welterweight division?
-Brian Campbell believes that Makhachev's prospects in the welterweight division are very bright, as he has a flawless fighting style and impressive skills.
What was the context of Conor McGregor's upcoming fight at UFC 303?
-Conor McGregor is set to fight Michael Chandler at UFC 303, marking his return to the octagon after a period of inactivity and other pursuits outside of fighting.
What are the expectations for Conor McGregor's performance at UFC 303?
-Given McGregor's age, recent injuries, and distractions outside of training, it's hard to predict if he will perform at his best, but he is still a naturally bigger man in the welterweight division.
Outlines
π₯ Championship Fight Recap and Dustin Poirier's Legacy
In a thrilling five-round battle, Islam Makhachev retained his UFC lightweight championship against a resilient Dustin Poirier. Despite Poirier's valiant efforts, Makhachev's superior wrestling and all-around game led to a submission victory in the final round. The fight showcased Poirier's heart and will, characteristics of a Hall of Fame performer, even though he has never secured an Undisputed championship title. The emotional aftermath and Team Makhachev's rare display of emotion underscored the intensity of the match. Makhachev's third title defense ties him for the most in lightweight history, and his prospects of moving up to the 170lb welterweight division look very promising, given his flawless fighting skills and the strong coaching lineage from Dagestan, Russia. The discussion also ponders whether this could be the end of Poirier's career, considering his family commitments and the fact that he has achieved much in the sport without ever winning the ultimate title.
π Dustin Poirier's Potential Retirement and McGregor's Upcoming Fight
Dustin Poirier, a pay-per-view star known for defeating Conor McGregor twice, has made significant contributions to the sport, both in and out of the Octagon. With a strong connection to his family and a history of charitable work, Poirier's potential retirement is discussed in light of his emotional post-fight speech and the fulfillment he has already achieved in his career. The narrative contrasts with the upcoming fight featuring Conor McGregor, who is set to face Michael Chandler at UFC 303. McGregor's recent history includes business ventures, injuries, and inactivity, which have raised questions about his performance. Despite the unpredictability of the fight, McGregor's past success and current training camp suggest that fans are eager to see what he has left to offer in the sport. The summary also highlights the main card for UFC 303, with McGregor vs. Chandler as the headliner.
Mindmap
Keywords
π‘UFC lightweight champion
π‘Five-round battle
π‘Submission
π‘Championship fight
π‘Dustin Poirier
π‘Title defense
π‘Welterweight
π‘Conor McGregor
π‘Michael Chandler
π‘Pound-for-pound
π‘Combat sports analyst
Highlights
Islam Makhachev retained his UFC lightweight championship by submitting Dustin Poirier late in round five.
The fight was a five-round battle that was much closer than anticipated.
Dustin Poirier showed great heart and determination, potentially fighting in what could be his last professional bout.
Islam Makhachev's wrestling and overall game were initially a challenge for Poirier.
Poirier's heart and will were on display, as he rallied back in the championship rounds.
Makhachev's takedown defense and stamina were key factors in the fight's outcome.
The fight's close nature was evident by the emotional celebration from Team Makhachev.
Makhachev tied for the most title defenses in lightweight history with his third.
Dustin Poirier is considered an American hero and a battle-tested fighter.
Islam Makhachev expressed interest in moving up to the 170lb welterweight division.
Makhachev's prospects in the welterweight division are very bright due to his flawless fighting skills.
Makhachev has a strong coaching background from Dagestan, Russia, including input from Khabib's father.
Poirier's future in the Octagon is uncertain, with questions about his motivation and family commitments.
Conor McGregor is set to fight Michael Chandler at UFC 303 in a welterweight bout.
McGregor's recent history includes business ventures and less time in the cage, affecting his performance.
The main card for UFC 303 features McGregor versus Chandler at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Transcripts
and still your UFC lightweight champion
Islam
makev in a tremendous five round battle
with Dustin porier maach submitting
porier late in round five and retaining
his UFC lightweight
championship in a
fight that was much closer maybe than a
lot of people thought might be
porier showed out but
makev too good in the
end and for more on UFC 302 and the
aftermath we bring in Brian Campbell CBS
Sports combat sports analyst uh BC that
was a heck of a championship fight to
Finish out UFC 302 how did it look from
your
standpoint look it was all heart all
guts from both competitors but obviously
in a losing sense in what could end up
being right he wouldn't commit to
reement afterwards officially but what
could be the last fight in the
incredible pro career of Dustin porier
he would not go quietly and that's what
allowed this fight to really fit that
description we like to call Combat
Sports sometimes the theater of the
unknown we knew poier would have trouble
with the wrestling of michev and really
the all-around perfect game that he
brings out there and in the first couple
rounds that seemed to be the case but we
know we can never measure the True Heart
of a champion and even though Dustin
porier the one thing his great career
has lacked is that Undisputed
championship ring right former interim
title holder never could win the big one
but he's got the heart and will of a
world class Championship Hall of Fame
performer he survived the storm well he
rallied back to bloody Mev in the
championship rounds and it turned out to
be his own takedown defense an
incredible stamina that kept him in the
fight and as we got closer to the Finish
obviously the way mahv was able to
finally take down and submitted him
really speaks to his greatness but Mev
looked to be in Peril in those final
rounds bleeding from the face looking to
maybe be one or two strikes away from
really being in trouble if you want to
really see for firsthand how close this
fight actually was and how tough it was
look at the celebration of Team mahv
afterwards they are not usually an
emotional group they are very stoic they
leap the the Octagon fence and leaped
all over mAh following that fifth round
submission it's his third title defense
it ties him for most in lightweight
history but it's hard to not exit this
fight talking about one man and that's
Dustin porier the American hero in so
many ways for being so battle tested
once again even though yes he did not
climb the mountain in his third and
seemingly final time at a full UFC title
he once again left his Mark yeah poier
might not have gone over but he got over
in wrestling terms to say on this night
we got to talk about mahb though because
afterwards he said all right 155 he's
kind of proven his thing he wants to go
up to 170 how do you look at his
prospects at
170 very very bright and here's the
reason right he's almost Flawless as a
fighter okay hard to say in a really
tough fight in which poier rallied back
and hurt him for sure but this is a guy
who's got such great defense such great
timing and technique on his striking
game an incredible mind not just the
Hall of Famer Naga met off in his Corner
the former lightweight champion but
khabib's L father Abdul manap and that
coaching tree out of dagistan Russia
that they've handed down mahv is so
large for the 170lb division of which he
has absolutely dominated this was his
14th consecutive Victory 13th in the
division but imagine him moving up in
weight going up to welterweight excuse
me which is 170 he of course is the
champion at 155 him at 170 lbs I
actually imagine him to be very
effective he'll have that extra gas tank
to really fuel his Sublime grappling
skills maybe you saw him in the
championship rounds of this fight use up
a little bit too much of that gas tank
in trying to take down and submit porier
before ultimately doing so but you're
talking about a guy who called his shot
says he wants to move up to welterweight
we know Leon Edwards is the champion
he's got a fight coming up against B
muhamad not only do I think mahv is a
player I think he may actually be
favored as an as as the smaller fighter
moving up in weight he really is that
great he just finished off the former
pound for pound King Alexander
volkanovski two victories including a
head kick knockout I know that was a
smaller fighter moving up but at the end
of the day it's skills that win fights
nobody is more skilled in this game than
Mev do you think we see poier in the
Octagon
again you know you really have to take
his words closely what I heard in what
he said afterwards in an emotional
speech was if I come back could I still
do it could I still beat some of the
very best yes but for what look this is
a guy who became a crossover
pay-per-view star that's what happens
when you defeat Conor McGregor in
back-to-back fights which he did a few
years ago he's made a lot of money he's
known for the charitable outputs he does
through his foundation he's a a man's
man in so many ways an ambassador of
this sport but unless let's say McGregor
up comes out and beats Michael Chandler
and calls him out unless there's
something really worth it for Dustin
he's fought for every title he could
he's moved weight classes he fought for
the BMF strap he's done it all I don't
think we see him again because his
connection to his family his wife and
children is so strong he shouted them
out afterwards he brought his young
daughter to her first fight to see him
in person I think this is the end of the
ride the Hat tip the walk away for one
of the greatest fighters in history but
most importantly maybe right maybe the
greatest fighter we've ever seen to walk
in and out of that UFC octagon and never
win a title that's a debate nobody wants
to be on the the top of that list we're
talking about greats like Dan Henderson
Uriah Faber but Dustin porier right
there right at top that group if he
never fights again just look up and down
the list of not only who he fought but
who he beat it's champion after former
champion after big name his biggest
losses have been some of his greatest
performances because of how honest a
fighter he has always been I do not do
not think we will see Dustin porier
again but I also do not think we will
see someone exactly like him again A
Hero's hero in so many ways a guy who
has evolved improved and more
importantly maybe he's similar to the
career of Randy coutura the former two
Division champion and Legend a guy who
you could never count out it doesn't
matter if he's been knocked out hold the
fight before Dustin porier is never out
of a fight you mentioned Conor McGregor
we're going to see Conor McGregor before
the month is up in UFC 303 in Vegas
against Michael Chandler uh look do you
have any idea what kind of Conor
McGregor we're going to see at 170 later
this month uh it's it's really hard to
have high hopes and you want to have
high hopes because covering Conor
McGregor whether you're a journalist
like me whether you're a fan is has been
some of the most exciting times in the
history of this sport for a reason but
we're asking a lot out of a guy in his
late 30s coming off a major injury huge
multiple year layoffs he's been
distracted in the movie game making the
Roadhouse remake there's been whis spers
of maybe living life loose on the ends
outside of training camp of which he is
in of course right now for Chandler
Michael Chandler is beatable he's also
in his late 30s an action fighter who
takes big risks and Connor will still be
the naturally bigger man here as they
don't have to cut weight hard they'll
come in comfortably at 170 yes anyone
can win this fight but it's really hard
to look at Conor McGregor's history
since 2016 since he was a top the
mountain as a two Division champion yes
no one's going to say anything bad about
the money he earned against Floyd
Mayweather in boxing a couple years
later but the second half of Conor's
career has been a lot of headlines a lot
of money a lot of sponsorships a lot of
business not a lot of Victories Inside
the Cage it's a young man's game and
inactivity has been typically the killer
for big names who try to Dart in and out
of activity it's hard to imagine we're
going to see the best of Conor McGregor
I guess the only hope is we're going to
see the best of what he's got left well
for the next four weeks we're going to
be talking about what we might see with
Conor McGregor at the end of the month
meanwhile UFC 302 delivered especially
in the in the main event and of course
Brian Campbell always delivers here on
CBS Sports HQ thanks
PC and here's a look at the main card
for UFC 303 set for Saturday June 29th
the T-Mobile arena in Las Vegas Nevada
and right at the top of the card in bold
letters Conor McGregor versus Michael
Chandler in a well through eight bout at
170
coming up highlights and reaction from
New Jersey and UFC 302 which is now in
the books stick around we'll be back on
CBS Sports HQ
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