UFC 302: Islam Makhachev submits Dustin Poirier to retain the title

UFC 302 showcased an intense battle between Islam Makhachev and Dustin Poirier for the lightweight title. Makhachev, the reigning champion, displayed his dominance in the octagon as he successfully defended his title against a formidable opponent in Poirier. The fight was a display of skill, strategy, and determination from both fighters.

Makhachev's victory came in the form of a submission, showcasing his prowess on the ground. His grappling skills were on full display as he expertly maneuvered into position to secure the submission. Poirier fought valiantly but ultimately succumbed to Makhachev's superior technique.

The Russian defeated UFC veteran Dustin Poirier with a fifth-round submission to defend his belt in a fight that seemed to be trending against him in the later rounds. He spent much of the fight in control on the ground, but was stuffed on several takedown events and was sporting a gnarly forehead cut going into the fifth.

Makhachev clocked Poirier, took him down and took his back, spending the next four minutes looking for a choke or arm triangle. Poirier fought all of those attempts off and started to find his footing in the second round. It has proven to be borderline impossible to beat Makhachev on the ground, but Poirier fought him off as much as he needed to and landed some big strikes to keep the fight fairly even.

Poirier before cinching in a tight D'arce choke that forced the "Diamond" to tap.

After the loss, which marked his third failed attempt to capture the lightweight world championship, the 35-year-old Poirier (30-9, 1 No Contest) openly contemplated retirement.

"I'm not 100 percent but if this is my last fight, I want to dedicate this journey to the people who have made me the man I am," Poirier told Rogan before mentioning his grandmother, mother, wife and daughter.As for Poirier, the 35-year-old indicated he was seriously considering retirement, though he said he wasn't 100% yet. This was his third shot at the lightweight belt, with the other two also resulting in submission losses to Khabib Nurmagomedov, who was in Makhachev's corner Saturday, and Charles Oliveira.

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Sarah H

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