After securing a victory at UFC 302, Islam Makhachev submitted veteran Dustin Poirier in the fifth round. Following his win, the lightweight champion proceeded to challenge his next opponent.
Dana White appointed Poirier as the most recent contender for Makhachev’s championship belt, as the previous interim champion pursued the opportunity to win undisputed UFC title.
The two men exchanged lively insults in the build-up to the fight, eventually leading to a fierce face-off at their UFC 302 press conference.
Throughout fight week, Poirier, who is 35 years old, acknowledged that his time in the sport was coming to an end and mentioned retirement on several occasions.
Despite this, ‘The Diamond’ continued to approach his main event bout against Makhachev with the same reckless abandon that he had displayed in his previous 38 fights throughout his illustrious MMA career.
From the start of the match, Poirier was successful in preventing Makhachev’s takedowns and even achieved notable success while the two fighters were standing.
Unfortunately, the Russian technician refused to let up and continuously kept a fast pace, not giving Poirier a chance to catch his breath.
As the fifth and final round of the fight commenced, the challenger made one last attempt to attack, but Makhachev was able to counter and gain control of his back.
The victorious lightweight champion, Makhachev, secured a D’Arce choke, leading Poirier to tap out as his team rushed into the octagon to celebrate.
Islam Makhachev wins by Power D’arce. Slick transition from arm guillotine. Main event did not disappoint. pic.twitter.com/Ep3TbYdBox
— Jack Krucial – The Combat Therapist🥷🏽武 (@CombatTherapist) June 2, 2024
In his usual manner, Makhachev showed humility in his win, giving Poirier a pat on the back and acknowledging him as a legend in the UFC.
After exchanging pleasantries, Joe Rogan inquired with Makhachev about his desired next opponent.
Islam Makhachev vs. Leon Edwards
As a reply, Makhachev challenged UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards to a super fight between two champions.
“Makhachev expressed to Rogan his desire to fight for a second belt, as it is his ultimate dream and he yearns to experience that same energy once more.”
Defending your belt just isn’t the same, which is why I need a new one.
Islam Makhachev wants to challenge for the UFC Welterweight Championship! 🏆pic.twitter.com/rzvlsLUjwp
— Chamatkar Sandhu (@SandhuMMA) June 2, 2024
Currently, Edwards is set to put his 170-pound title on the line against Belal Muhammad at UFC 304, taking place in Manchester, England later this year.
As of now, Edwards holds the title of the third-best pound-for-pound fighter in the UFC, as the Englishman has maintained an undefeated record for almost ten years.
If he is able to retain his title against Muhammad, a potential bout between Makhachev and Edwards would be highly anticipated and considered one of the most exciting matchups in UFC history.
It would not come as a shock if White were to match up the two champions, however, a previous opponent of Makhachev believes that he should be given a rematch before anyone else.
Arman Tsarukyan Seeks Rematch with Makhachev
Arman Tsarukyan’s relationship with the champion was once amicable, particularly after he made his UFC debut against Makhachev in 2019.
Despite Tsarukyan’s strong performance, Makhachev narrowly secured a unanimous decision victory in the highly acclaimed “Fight of the Night”match.
Nevertheless, the once amicable relationship eventually turned sour, resulting in heated exchanges and insults over the years.
As the date of UFC 302 drew near, Tsarukyan persisted in his calls for Makhachev to receive a title shot, a sentiment that remained unchanged in the aftermath.
“Tsarukyan posted on X, congratulating Islam but also cautioning against any attempts to switch divisions.”
“You have only managed to defend your title once against a true lightweight fighter, and I am next in line to challenge you.”
Despite not having the same level of appeal as a champion vs champion fight, a Tsarukyan-Makhachev rematch has valid merit, according to the Armenian fighter.
Since his victory over Charles Oliveira in Oct. 2022, Makhachev has faced off against former featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski twice, emerging victorious in both encounters.
However, Makhachev’s bout against Poirier marked the initial legitimate title defense in the division, and White has a reputation for adhering strictly to these protocols.
The CEO of UFC announced during the post-fight press conference of UFC 302 that the next most probable fight to make would be between Makhachev and Tsarukyan.
🚨| Dana White says he believes Islam Makhachev vs. Arman Tsarukyan is the fight to make next, however, he did not rule out letting Islam have a shot at welterweight gold.#UFC302 pic.twitter.com/eWlFGLRqvW
— MMA Orbit (@mma_orbit) June 2, 2024
Ultimately, Makhachev made it clear that he has aspirations to become a two-weight champion. It is now in the hands of UFC matchmakers to determine the next step for the champion.
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