After an epic five-round war against Dustin Poirier at UFC 302, Islam Makhachev defended his pound-for-pound # 1 ranking. However, UFC CEO Dana White had other ideas. He refused to consider Makhachev the #1 P4P fighter. It is safe to say that Makhachev didn’t take the snub lying down.
A reporter asked about his thoughts on Dana White snubbing him from the P4P number 1 spot. Islam Makhachev retaliated and reminded Dana White that he and Dustin Poirier saved the UFC 302 card. This directly indicated the lackluster fights at UFC 302 before the main event.
I don’t know, maybe it’s his [Dana White’s] opinion. But I think I saved this card today because all these fights boring. The arena was almost asleep.
Islam Makhachev via the post-fight press conference
The pre-main event action justified the savage criticism to some extent. Besides Kevin Holland’s fight, the crowd appeared bored and uninterested. Sean Strickland versus Paulo Costa had been promoted as a potential slugfest. But it also did not live up to its billing, ending in a decision. Most bouts were resolved by decision, with no knockouts occurring throughout the entire card.
Dana White declared in the press conference that Jon Jones should be ranked as the #1 P4P fighter. An argument against that notion is Jones’s current inactivity. The heavyweight champion has only competed twice since the beginning of 2020. On the other hand, Makhachev has competed for more than that. As such, many feel justified having Makhachev as the #1 P4P fighter at the moment.
Islam Makhachev vows to improve confidence in his striking skill
Islam Makhachev is fresh off his epic UFC 302 war against Dustin Poirier. The retaining lightweight king made a surprising confession after the fight. Despite showcasing slick striking skills en route to victory, Makhachev admitted he still needed to trust his striking ability fully.
Islam Makhachev with improved striking (via Bleacher Report)Makhachev was answering questions at the post-fight press conference. He gave props to Dustin Poirier and his team for doing a fantastic job in defending the takedowns. He also made a revelation about his striking prowess.
I have to believe my striking more because I show my striking today. I stay with him. I landed a lot of good punches. If I believe more, I think I can knock him out today.
Islam Makhachev via UFC 302 post-fight press conference
Makhachev has an elite grappling pedigree honed under mentor Khabib Nurmagomedov. His striking prowess has become better with each fight. He exceeded Dustin Poirier, who is a renowned striker, in significant strikes in this fight. He even knocked out Alexander Volkanovksi at UFC 294 in the first round. Makhachev’s strength lies in grappling, but he is focused on becoming the total package.
