UFC 302 will likely be in the history books. Islam Makhachev ties the record for most lightweight title defenses or Dustin Poirier will have a storytale ending to his MMA career. Either remains a historic feat. The heated face-off between the two already has the fight fans excited.
The UFC 302 press conference was an entertaining affair, mainly due to the presence of Sean Strickland and Paulo Costa. Makhachev was also fun and games, but Poirier was serious. However, Makhachev lost his cool after he exchanged words with Poirier at the face-off.
I’m going to knock you out Saturday. Sleep. I’m going to sleep stop you. You’re going to be diving for my legs, praying. … You’re going to sleep, motherf*cker.
Dustin Poirier at the UFC 302 face-offs
Funnily enough, Makhachev took Poirier’s motherf*cker comment as an insult to his family rather than the usage of the term in casual American conversations. Therefore, the pound-for-pound king threatened Poirier at the face-offs.
Don’t say motherf*cker! Don’t say that. Don’t say that or I’ll slap you.
Islam Makhachev at the UFC 302 face-offs
Betting odds favor Makhachev to win the fight, but Poirier vowed to knock Makhachev out cold. Khabib Nurmagomedov had predicted a third-round finish for his protege, but several other fighters are rooting for Poirier to spring an upset.
Tom Aspinall previews Islam Makhachev vs. Dustin Poirier
Dustin Poirier has not won an undisputed UFC title, even though he has remained a top contender for a long time. He was the interim champion but faltered in the undisputed title fights to Charles Oliveira and Khabib Nurmagomedov. At UFC 302, Poirier hopes the third time will be the charm. He has already contemplated retirement and will likely retire at UFC 302, especially if he loses.
Tom Aspinall previews Islam Makhachev vs Dustin Poirier (Image via: IMAGO)Interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall recently previewed the fight on his show on TNT Sports, Tom Aspinall’s Fight Lab. Aspinall admitted he is a fan of both fighters but is a bigger fan of Poirier. He stated Poirier won’t let the opponents off the hook if he has them hurt. Aspinall showed Poirier’s fights against Conor McGregor, Michael Chandler, and Anthony Pettis as examples.
Aspinall stated Poirier is a calculated striker but will abandon defense and throw off combinations when he has opponents hurt. On the other hand, Aspinall stated that Makhachev is unlike other fighters from Dagestan who use top pressure. Aspinall stated that Makhachev incorporates submission techniques more than ground and pound. Despite being a fan of both, Aspinall revealed he hopes for a Dustin Poirier victory.
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