Islam Makhachev succesfully defended his lightweight title against Dustin Poirier tonight at UFC 302, but he had to dig deep in the final round to get the finish.
Round One:
The lightweight title main event is underway in New Jersey!
Front kick attempt from Makhachev. Poirier lands a punch but is greeted by a flurry of fast punches in return from Makhachev.
Now Makhachev moves in close and lands an easy takedown against the cage. Makhachev in half-guard here and staying tight to Poirier. A few body punches and then isolates an arm.
Makhachev working for a kimura here. Poirier scrambles out of that, but Makhachev follows him and takes his back. Makhachev on his back and has the body lock in as he starts to think about the rear-naked choke with half the round remaining.
Makhachev smothering Poirier’s face with one hand. Poirier ok for now. Makhachev thinking about moving to mount, but then goes for the rear-naked choke. Poirier just able to defend that in time. Makhachev angles off as if he’s trying to mount again, but doesn’t commit to it. Might just be baiting Poirier with that.
Final 10 seconds of the round and Poirier never really looked like getting back to his feet, but has managed to survive.
Round Two:
Leg kick attempt from Poirier but is taken down in the center of the Octagon. Poirier instantly scrambling though and does well to battle his way back to his feet and return to striking range.
Poirier stalking now, but it’s Makhachev who lands a knee. Jab for Poirier. Makhachev in on a single leg, but Poirier kicks his way out of it.
Left hand gets through for Makhachev. Jab for Poirier. Jab from Makhachev. Short flurry from Makhachev. Jab for Poirier. Jab from Makhachev.
A couple of punches land for Makhachev. Body punch for Poirier. Right hand for Makhachev and then nicely transitions into a takedown attempt, but doesn’t get it instantly and has to continue against the cage.
Poirier does well to reverse the clinch position. Uppercut from him. Makhachev with a knee to the body and punches as they move off the cage.
Now back to striking range. Jab for Poirier. Grazing right hook from him. One-two for Poirier. Makhachev looking for an uppercut.
Body punch from Poirier and then upstairs. Poirier catches Makhachev and then points at him as if he knew that hurt, but then Makhachev lands a good punch on him.
Makhachev able to close the distance and work a takedown, landing it with only a few seconds of the round remaining.
Round Three:
Jab for Poirier. Poirier tries to crash the distance with punches but doesn’t connect and then eats a knee upstairs.
Makhachev working a takedown against the cage. Poirier down on his knees. Makhachev taking his back and breaks his base and is looking to flatten him out.
Makhachev rolls to his back with the body triangle in. Poirier bleeding from the nose from a clash of heads before the takedown. Makhachev with a few punches as he tries to find an opening to sink in the rear-naked choke.
Poirier trying to scramble, but ends up with Makhachev now moving into full mount with almost half the round remaining.
Poirier does well to escape and manages to get back to his feet. Good work from him.
Now Poirier is pressing forward and pumps out the jab. Jab lands again. jab for him and a short flurry lands for Makhachev.
More jab work from Poirier. He lands a calf kick too. Makhachev digs to the body. Poirier shakes his head but then gets caught by a right and a left for Makhachev. Poirier wincing and wiping at his left eye. He continues to feel at it but the fight goes on regardless.
Jab for Poirier. He’s pressing forward here. he looks to work the body, but Makhachev threatens with an uppercut in close too. The round ends and they go head-to-head for a moment before returning to their corners.
Round Four:
Poirier gets the jab through the guard. Body punch for Makhachev. Rip to the body from Poirier. Makhachev thought about a takedown, but Poirier shut that down quickly.
Makachev lands on the counter. Makhachev pumps the jab. He dives on a takedown attempt but Poirier stuffs it.
Makhachev clinches up in the center of the Octagon but Poirier punches the body and then gets away.
Makhachev lands a solid punch. Heavy punch for Makhachev and then in on a takedown attempt against the cage. Poirier making him work for this takedown. Eventually Makhachev does drag him down to his knees.
Poirier gradually working his way up, standing with his hands still on the mat for now. Poirier tries a switch and that gives him enough space to stand. He lands an elbow that opens a cut on Makhachev’s head.
Poirier rips heavy punches to the body against the cage. Makhachev is bleeding significantly from the forehead now.
Striking range and both trade blows with Makhachev landing to the head and Poirier piecing together a nice combo going to the body.
Makhachev working for a takedown against the cage again and Poirier finds time to chat with the commentary team and Dana White while defending this until the round ends.
Round Five:
Both throw punches without connecting cleanly. Makhachev with a couple of connections now. Low kick from Poirier.
Makhachev dives on a single-leg attempt but Poirier shakes that off. Punch from Poirier. Makhachev punches into the clinch. Poirier lands an elbow though and then breaks away.
Left hand for Makhachev. Body punch from Poirier. A couple of punches from Makhachev but Poirier’s guard is up.
Another flurry from Makhachev. He lands the jab. Poirier with a jab and then a left hand lands solidly behind it.
Makhachev with a single-leg in the center of the Octagon and partially gets him down, but then Poirier works back up.
Makhachev wrenching him back to the mat now while setting up a d’arce choke. It’s in tight and Poirier is left with no option but to tap out, but then passes out straight afterwards at 2.42mins of the fifth round!
That was a great fight and far more competitive than most expected. Credit to Poirier for his part in that, doing well to fend off some takedowns, defend some submissions and give Makhachev problems on the feet. Despite all that Makhachev still did well too though and showed why he’s champion by stepping things up in the final round to secure that final takedown and fight-ending choke.
