Islam Makhachev stops Dustin Poirier before an announcement shocks everyone
In an epic fight, champion Islam Makhachev had to reach deep into his bag of tricks before an announcement shocked everyone.
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Islam Makhachev has shown he is still the king of the lightweight division, but it proved far more difficult than many anticipated.
The Russian came in as a huge favourite for his title defence against American Dustin Poirier, riding a 13-fight win streak that dates all the way back to October 2015 into Sunday’s UFC 302 event at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.
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Makhachev got the job done but it took until 2:42 into the fifth and final round for him to finally put Poirier away with a d’arce choke, improving his record to 26-1.
Poirier lost no fans with his courageous effort, stunning Makhachev at times and opening a couple of cuts on the Russian’s face.
But with hopes growing from the wildly partisan home crowd a Rocky IV moment was going to happen, the Russian showed his class and continued his dominance of the division.
Makhachev’s run includes consecutive one-sided victories over Australian Alex Volkanovski, with a first-round knockout at UFC 294 in October last year his last Octagon appearance prior to Sunday.
Poirier, 35, had a 30-8 record entering Sunday and was coming off a KO of Benoit Saint Denis in his last UFC appearance on March 9 this year.
But former interim champ Poirier had lost two straight shots at the main lightweight belt, to Charles Oliveira and Khabib Nurmagomedov, and has now fallen short again in possibly his last chance.
Sean Strickland and Paulo Costa also faced off in a co-main event that didn’t sit well with fans, while an Aussie impressed earlier on the preliminary card.
Check out how it all unfolded below (all times AEST).
3.26pm - Fans react to Poirier news
If this is the end for the man known as the Diamond, he has given fight fans huge enjoyment across his 15-year career in the Octagon.
We all know fighters can be tempted back into another stoush and Poirier showed he still has enormous ability by taking Makhachev to a fifth and final round.
But if this is the end, fans were keen to praise the American on X.
“What a great fight, still got gas in the tank,” one wrote.
“Poirier was so impressive tonight. Really hope this isn’t his last time in the Octagon,” commented another.
“One of the best to ever do it. Zero excuses. Just comes to fight,” added a third.
3.15pm - The Diamond might be done
In his third unsuccessful attempt at claiming the main lightweight belt, Poirier shocked everyone with an announcement in his post-fight chat with Joe Rogan in the Octagon.
The veteran admitted this might be the end of the road for his long, impressive career.
“I’ve got a little girl, I’m 35 years old, this might be it. I think this might be it,” he said.
3.12pm - It’s over
Poirier fought his heart out, but Makhachev earned the submission at 2:42 into the final round courtesy of a d’arce choke.
It was a sensational move from the Russian as he earned a 14th consecutive win.
Poirier admitted his lights went out during the choke.
“I tapped, you let go, and I went out,” Poirier told Makhachev as they embraced after an epic contest.
“I think Dustin had a great camp, he defended very well and gave me a hard time,” the champion said.
“He’s a legend of the sport.
“(But) it’s one of my favourite chokes, doesn’t matter if I’m tired, it’s one of my favourite chokes.”
3.05pm - Poirier fights back
Impressive from the American, who took everything Makhachev could throw at him and landed some heavy blows of his own in that fourth round.
Poirier escaped another takedown and opened a deep cut over Makhachev’s brow before ripping a series of body shots at the Russian.
If it goes the distance Diamond is in major trouble, but he has improved as the fight has progressed.
3pm - Diamond survives another round
Makhachev appeared impatient as he threw a combination of punches and a heavy knee early in the third round that rocked the challenger.
It allowed the Russian to get Poirier to the ground as blood flowed from the American’s nose.
In danger of an armbar, Poirier managed to get free and the crowd exploded as he got back to his feet and let out a roar of his own.
“USA, USA” chants ran around the arena and Poirier survived another round, but the champion is well on top.
2.55pm - The American shows some life
After a one-sided first round for the champion, Poirier had his moments in that second round, landing some punches and largely avoiding any takedown attempts.
He even called Makhachev on at one stage in a brazen move, with a fairly even round ending with the Russian on top of Poirier but unable to hurt him.
This has strong Rocky IV vibes as the American fans hope Poirier can pull off the huge upset over the Russian champ.
2.47pm – Makhachev off to a fast start
The Russian wasted no time getting on top in the first round.
A couple of punches were enough to give him the opening he needed, Makhachev swiftly pulling off a successful takedown to take control.
He spent the rest of the round trying to find an opening, but the American’s defence was good enough to survive the round, just.
The Russian’s corner was happy with proceedings.
“Everything you did was perfect, keep doing that,” a trainer said.
2.35pm – Boos ring out for the champion
On a night of thick American patriotism, when the last three local fighters have greeted Donald Trump after their victories, the arrival of Russian Makhachev to the Octagon came with a torrent of boos from the partisan crowd.
He is a short-priced favourite to disappoint the home fans in the main event against “The Diamond” Poirier.
2.19pm – Crowd unimpressed with co-main event
Sean Strickland has been one of the UFC’s most popular fighters and ended Kiwi Israel Adesanya’s long middleweight reign in their title fight in September last year.
The American has been quiet since that momentous victory, however, losing his only fight since in January to Dricus du Plessis at UFC 297 in Canada.
In a huge showdown, on paper at least, repeated boos rang out during Strickland’s co-main event with Paulo Costa at the lack of action.
It went the distance and Strickland finally woke up to land some big punches and kicks right at the conclusion.
The commentators weren’t convinced of the winner, leaning towards Strickland, who was eventually handed the win in a split decision.
Even the American felt the fight hadn’t lived up to expectations.
“It was a boring fight, sorry guys,” Strickland said afterwards. “That Brazilian goes backwards fast, he’s hard to catch, sorry guys, I wanted to do more but I tried.”
1.45pm – Wild armbar in American triumph
Kevin Holland just shocked the crowd and those watching on after appearing to break Michal Oleksiejczuk’s arm in their middleweight clash.
The Polish fighter started strongly, dropping Holland with a big left hand and trying to land more blows to win the fight.
The American showed his martial arts skills in the blink of an eye, however, grabbing his opponent’s right arm and getting Oleksiejczuk in a tight armbar as you can see in the video player above.
The Pole did everything he could to break free, but the hold was secure and Oleksiejczuk’s arm appeared to break or dislocate in a hideous fallout in the Octagon before the referee finally stopped the fight.
“Oh my god he’s going to break it. He’s trying to get out of it, he’s just dealing with pain right now,” commentator Joe Rogan said.
“His arm is broken. It’s limp by his side.
“At the very least it’s dislocated, it’s useless by his side right now.”
The American immediately jumped over the fence and shook the hands of Donald Trump, Dana White and others ringside.
Fans were quick to react to the brutal moment on X.
One wrote: “That was nasty, should’ve tapped.”
Another wrote: “Polish man has no pain receptors.”
A third added: “Not tapping is wild.”
Another commented: “When that arm popped my body started to shiver bro.”
12.55pm – Popular winner as the main card commences
Welterweight Randy Brown has just prevailed in a brutal clash with Brazilian Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos.
Brown appeared in huge trouble when dos Santos had him in a choke hold, but the American was able to break free and turn the tables, ultimately winning the fight by unanimous decision.
During the fight, commentator and UFC great Daniel Cormier said the Brazilian needed to adopt the tactics of Aussie Jake Matthews when he won his fight earlier in the day (see more on that below).
“We saw it early when Jake Matthews got a victory, he was able to make the fight dirty,” Cormier said.
“Dos Santos is going to have to do the same thing here.”
But he couldn’t get the job done, with Brown winning a third straight fight to improve to 19-5, while dos Santos slipped to 24-8.
12.25pm – The day’s main fighters are in the building
The cameras have just shown Poirier and Makhachev enter the Prudential Center ahead of their huge fight.
Poirier got the biggest cheers of the day as he made the walk into the arena, while Makhachev, Strickland and Costa were also shown arriving as they prepare to don the gloves.
Midday – The convicted president is in the house
Former US president Donald Trump, fresh off his unanimous guilty verdict in a New York court over a hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels, received huge cheers as he made the walk to a ringside seat alongside UFC president Dana White.
Trump, who is hoping to win back the presidency in November’s election against incumbent Joe Biden, is joined by the likes of Aussie F1 gun Daniel Ricciardo, NFL superstar Aaron Rodgers and former UFC champ Justin Gaethje in the celebrity rows.
11.15am – An Aussie takes the victory
Australian Jake Matthews got the preliminary card underway with a bloody welterweight victory over Phil Rowe.
Matthews’ nose started bleeding heavily from a blow early in the three-round fight, but he used his experience to secure the win, 29-28, 29-28 and 30-27.
The 29-year-old Victorian, who now has 20 wins from his 27 fights, expressed his disappointment at being unable to finish Rowe in a wild post-fight press conference.
“I hate winning by decision,” he said. “It’s good, at the end of the day you’ve got a family, you’ve got to put food on the table and it’s still a win on the board.
“But to me, this is war. I’ve completely changed my mindset to this being a sport of martial artists.
“Martial arts is a religion, what we do is a war, it’s a battle. Winning by points, it means nothing to me.
“Realistically, if we were out in the real world, I put a choke on, I’m not letting go until there’s no life left in you.
“If I knock you out, same deal.
“So winning by decision, it’s not the best but we adapted and pushed through and came out with the win.”
Pushed more on his mindset by a reporter, Matthews said his aim as he makes his way up the division is to adopt the all-out attack approach he had as a youngster.
“If you watch my old fights when I was 19, 20, 21, you could see I was just a savage kid that did not care,” he said.
“There was no rounds, win the first round, win the second round, it was just going to battle.
“Every round had a hundred per cent, every round you clear the gas tank a hundred per cent and try to get the win each round.
“So I’m trying to go back to that now, in saying that still with some methodical thinking, bit of that maturity.
“But at the end of the day, if we’re in the real world and someone gets me in a choke and I go to sleep, there’s no referee there to stop them.
“So that’s the mindset I have now.”
UFC 302 – Main Card (PPV)
Islam Makhachev def Dustin Poirier – UFC lightweight title by submission (d’arce choke)
Sean Strickland def Paulo Costa (middleweight) by split decision
Kevin Holland def Michał Oleksiejczuk (middleweight) by technical submission (armbar)
Niko Price def Alex Morono (welterweight) by unanimous decision
Randy Brown def Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos (welterweight) by unanimous decision
UFC 302 – Preliminary Card
Roman Kopylov def Cesar Almeida (middleweight) by split decision
Jailton Almeida def Alexander Romanov (heavyweight) by submission (rear-naked choke)
Grant Dawson def Joe Solecki (lightweight) by unanimous decision
Jake Matthews (AUS) def Philip Rowe (welterweight) by unanimous decision
Originally published as Islam Makhachev stops Dustin Poirier before an announcement shocks everyone
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