Dustin Poirier is feeling a lot better about his chances of winning UFC gold.
On Saturday, June 1, ‘The Diamond’ will return to the Octagon three months removed from his sensational come-from-behind knockout of Benoit Saint-Denis — a win that caught the attention of reigning lightweight titleholder Islam Makhachev.
Determined to defend his 155-pound crown this summer, the ‘Dagestani Destroyer’ handpicked Poirier to be his next opponent, giving the former interim champion one last shot at capturing the real deal.
Though not much of a trash talker, Dustin Poirier has established himself as one of the UFC’s most loved fighters courtesy of his balls-to-the-wall style of scrappin’ and his undeniable love for “jumpin’ the gilly.” However, Poirier couldn’t help, but poke some fun at Makhachev after seeing a video of the lightweight king testing out his punching power at a local arcade.
“Watching that video of Islam on the punching machine,” Poirier wrote on Instagram. “Pull up.”
For context, you can check out the video of Makhachev getting a three-step running head start before putting everything he had into his left hand.
Islam Makhachev hits the punching machine 🥊#UFC302 #UFC #MMA
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) May 8, 2024
Will Dustin Poirier ‘Finish the Story’ at UFC 302, or Will He Just Get Finished?
Islam Makhachev has never been known for his knockout power, but that doesn’t mean he can’t get the job done. In October, he shocked the world with a stunning first-round head-kick KO against Alexander Volkanovski in Abu Dhabi. The win came three months after Poirier suffered his own brutal loss via head kick against former BMF titleholder Justin Gaethje.
Since then, ‘The Diamond’ bounced back with his highlight-reel-worthy finish of Saint-Denis — a victory that eventually bagged him what will likely be the last UFC title fight of his illustrious career.
Will Dustin Poirier “finish the story” at UFC 302 in Newark, New Jersey, or will Islam Makhachev be successful in his first defense of the lightweight title against an actual lightweight fighter?
