With his third title defense looming at UFC 302 this June, reigning champion Islam Makhachev is gearing up to face Dustin Poirier, projecting confidence in his strategy for the bout.
In a March interview with Mike Bohn from MMA Junkie, before the fight was officially on the books, Makhachev expressed his preference for facing Poirier, predicting the fight’s outcome with precision:
“I will take him down. He will try a guillotine and I will take his back and choke him.”
Islam Makhachev Anticipates Repeat Victory Over Dustin Poirier in UFC 302 Title Defense
Makhachev humorously pointed out that Poirier’s affinity for the guillotine choke would play into his hands during their potential matchup, citing it as a favorable factor for him.
This running joke about Poirier’s tactic stems from his bout at UFC 299 against Benoit Saint-Denis, where despite his corner’s advice to focus on striking after successful exchanges, Poirier persisted with the guillotine attempts.
Ultimately, he secured a knockout in the second round, yet his repeated attempts at the choke became a notable talking point.
Watch the complete interview with Islam Makhachev on MMA Junkie’s YouTube channel to get more insights into his fight strategy and expectations.
Makhachev Sees a Reflection of Past Fights in Upcoming Bout Against Poirier
Makhachev’s detailed prediction draws parallels to a past encounter between Poirier and Khabib Nurmagomedov, Makhachev’s close friend and former teammate, at UFC 242.
In that match, Nurmagomedov overcame Poirier’s guillotine attempt in the third round by transitioning to a back take and securing a rear-naked choke victory to retain his lightweight title.
September 7, 2019
UFC 242
Dustin is unsuccessful in the unification bout against Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Hail Mary Guillotine was not enough.
Could not handle the grappling onslaught,
lost via RNC in Round 3 pic.twitter.com/egZggaV1wR— Ocelot MMA (@Ocelot_MMA) November 8, 2022
Since his defeat to Nurmagomedov, Poirier has compiled a record of 5-2, propelling him towards his third opportunity to clinch undisputed gold.
Following victories over notable fighters such as Dan Hooker and Conor McGregor, Poirier faced Charles Oliveira at UFC 269 but fell short, succumbing to a submission in the third round.
As UFC 302 approaches, Makhachev is poised to demonstrate whether history will echo his forecast and if Poirier’s guillotine will indeed turn into an opportunity for a repeat performance of Nurmagomedov’s victory.
