Lightweight champion Islam Makhachev headlines the UFC 302 fight card on June 1 in Newark, New Jersey against former interim titleholder Dustin Poirier. Makhachev admits that Poirier is a legend and a dangerous opponent, but believes his style will be a bad matchup for “The Diamond.”
“Against him (Poirier) I know my plan. I just have to defend my neck from his guillotine. And that’s it,” Makhachev jokingly told New York Post Sports. “He is a legend. If we talk about Dustin, he’s already a legend. He has big experience in this sport. He’s a problem. He has good striking. His bad point is his wrestling and grappling, but he has a good guillotine.”
“My fight style is bad for Dustin because we saw his fight with Max Holloway and with other people that have good striking. I think the best boxing in this sport, in my division, Dustin has. Honestly because he beats everybody. In the striking, nobody can beat him,” Makhachev continued. “But for the fighter who has good wrestling and good grappling, he has bad points… He lost to Khabib [Nurmagomedov] who has good wrestling and grappling. He lost to Charles Oliveira. That’s why, in my opinion, my style is bad for him.”
Makhachev (25-1) is coming off back-to-back wins over former featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski. Both of his title defenses were against the Australian. Poirier (30-8, 1NC) knocked out Benoit Saint Denis in his last outing.
UFC 302 takes place at the Prudential Center. In the fight card’s co-main event, former middleweight champion Sean Strickland takes on former title challenger Paulo Costa. The event will mark the promotion’s tenth visit to Newark.
https://www.mmaweekly.com/news/islam-makhachev-my-style-is-bad-for-dustin-poirier