Islam Makhachev‘s finishing sequence over Dustin Poirier at UFC 302 was a pure work of art. To be able to pull off a move like that on his opponent while under massive pressure was a testament to Makhachev’s championship status. While the ankle move was creative, it reminded fans of the legendary lightweight Tony Ferguson.
In the fifth round, while Islam Makhachev was desperately looking for a finish, he landed a stunning ankle sweep. This caught Dustin Poirier off guard, prompting the champion to land a D’arce choke and end the fight. An ankle hold like that is rather uncommon and is something Tony Ferguson constantly warned his opponents about. However, Makhachev made it a reality.
Ferguson’s catchphrase, “Shut up, before I ankle pick you” is extremely popular among fight fans. It originated at UFC 216, during a heated argument between the ‘El Cucuy’ and Fabricio Werdum. Over the years, it has become a running joke and Ferguson has talked about using it as a mental warfare against his opponents.
Ferguson has done it during his face-off against Khabib Nurmagomedov, Michael Chandler etc. The fighter was also seen training for that particular move in his camp and teaching it to others. However, nobody expected Islam Makhachev to use that against Poirier at UFC 302.
Even Mateusz Gamrot couldn’t have trained Dustin Poirier for that
Dustin Poirier did a lot better than many fans and experts thought he would do against Islam Makhachev. His takedown defense was incredible against the defending champion. While many expected a one-sided fight on the ground, the ‘Diamond’ did an amazing to stop Makhachev’s takedown attempts.
Mateusz Gamrot fails to train Dustin Poirier enough for Islam Makhachev (via Instagram/X)
It is possible that it was the result of his wrestling training with ATT teammate and UFC lightweight, Mateusz Gamrot. However, it was not enough for Islam Makhachev who was on another level altogether. On top of that, an ankle move like that in the very last round was something out of the box.
Other than that, Makhachev outclassed Poirier in striking and landed more significant strikes. It was a great feat, given that Poirier is regarded as one of the best boxers in the promotion. Nevertheless, it was a super entertaining fight between two of the best lightweights in the world.
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