Tag: UFC 302

UFC lightweight title history: Jens Pulver, Islam Makhachev, Khabib, Conor and more

Ahead of UFC 302, take a look at a chronological history of the UFC lightweight belt.

The lightweight title was on the line June 1 in the UFC 302 main event, and dominant champion Islam Makhachev (26-1 MMA, 15-1 UFC) survived some testy moments against former interim champ Dustin Poirier (30-9 MMA, 22-8 UFC) for his third title defense.
Makhachev tied the UFC record for most lightweight title defenses. Take a look at a chronological history of the UFC lightweight belt.

Jon Anik leaning ‘337’ or King of Diamonds for next tattoo if Dustin Poirier beats Nate Diaz in dream fight

It’s been eight years Jon Anik said he’d get a Nate Diaz tattoo if he upset Conor McGregor at UFC 196 – and then had to follow through.

It’s been a bit since [autotag]Jon Anik[/autotag] playfully suggested he’d get a [autotag]Nate Diaz[/autotag] tattoo if he upset Conor McGregor at UFC 196.

Now about eight years into the now semi-famous “209” ink on Anik’s arm, he’s throwing out potential for a second fighter-themed tattoo. If [autotag]Dustin Poirier[/autotag] got matched up with Diaz in the UFC and beat him, Anik said he’d pay tribute to Poirier, as well, after a Poirier suggestion of it.

He even said before he hosted the UFC Hall of Fame induction ceremony, he thought about getting a surprise tattoo to honor inductee Frankie Edgar, a former lightweight champion.

“Certainly, the 209 tattoo will not be the last fighter tattoo or fighter tributary tattoo that I get,” Anik told MMA Junkie Radio. “If you really want to know, I was trying to find a really good fine-line tattoo artist in Vegas the week of the Hall of Fame (induction) to get my Fe Iron element symbol in honor of the great Frankie Edgar right here on the inside of my arm that also dons the 209, incidentally.

“But for Dustin, I’ve always wanted a neck tattoo. Part of me wants to mimic his tattoo with the King of diamonds right behind the ear or just a diamond emoji. We could go 337 – you know, I’m not looking to be ludicrous with different area codes with numbers all over my body, necessarily. But yeah, we would go 337.”

Anik said he thinks the odds for that fight likely would highly favor Poirier, but the longtime fighter and former interim lightweight champion from Lafayette, La., still would be worthy of some ink – and risk irking his wife, even just temporarily.

He said when he got his 209 tattoo in 2016 that it took her a minute to be on board.

“Certainly Dustin Poirier is a fighter I would have no problem immortalizing on my skin forever, even if he’s trying to get me to do it in a fight in which he might be a -400 favorite,” Anik said.

Poirier is coming off a fifth-round submission loss to lightweight champion Islam Makhachev at UFC 302 in June. Diaz beat Jorge Masvidal in a boxing match this past Saturday in California. It’s been nearly two years since his last fight in the UFC, a submission of Tony Ferguson in September 2022.

Georges St-Pierre: UFC champ Islam Makhachev is ‘the best pound-for-pound right now’

UFC Hall of Famer Georges St-Pierre is the latest to back Islam Makhachev as the top pound-for-pound fighter in MMA over Jon Jones.

UFC Hall of Famer [autotag]Georges St-Pierre[/autotag] is the latest high-profile name to back [autotag]Islam Makhachev[/autotag] as the top pound-for-pound fighter in MMA over Jon Jones.

After Makhachev (25-1 MMA, 14-1 UFC) registered his third consecutive lightweight title defense with a fifth-round submission of Dustin Poirier at UFC 302 this month, UFC CEO Dana White stirred up the pound-for-pound discussion when he definitively dubbed Jones as No. 1.

White’s comments sparked a flurry of debate across the MMA community, and now former UFC welterweight and middleweight champion St-Pierre has shared his opinion.

“I think right now he’s the best pound-for-pound right now,” St-Pierre said to coach Firas Zahabi on the Tristar Gym YouTube channel. Because of his last few performances. Just amazing. An amazing showcase of heart, too, because he had a bad cut on his forehead and Poirier gave him a tough time. Pushed the pace to the edge, and I think that fight is going to make Makhachev even better. These are the fights that make you grow.”

Zahabi asked St-Pierre what he thinks Makhachev’s ceiling in the sport looks like given his recent success and what could be on the horizon. “Rush” is considered by most to be in the top-three fighters in all of MMA history, and arguably at the top of the list.

St-Pierre thinks Makhachev, 33, is well on his way to joining that even bigger discussion, so long as he stays the course.

“He’s already starting to get to that status right now (as an all-time great),” St-Pierre said. “Beating Volkanovski and now his last few performances are amazing.”

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Dustin Poirier ‘leaning towards being done’ with MMA but ‘scared’ to retire prematurely

Dustin Poirier is conflicted as he tries to come to a definitive decision about his fighting future.

[autotag]Dustin Poirier[/autotag] is conflicted as he tries to come to a definitive decision about his fighting future.

Poirier (30-8 MMA, 22-7 UFC) made it clear entering and coming out of his title-fight loss to Islam Makhachev at UFC 302 this month that his days of active competition could be done as he made a final bid at the undisputed championship.

The result didn’t go his way, and Poirier has spent the past nine days since the fight trying to determine what’s next. But he hasn’t been able to find an answer.

“Even this far removed from the fight, I still don’t know,” Poirier told “The MMA Hour” with Ariel Helwani on Monday. “I’m kind of looking for clarity. Searching myself and taking it one day at a time. But I don’t know. I don’t know what’s next.

“I can’t say I’ll never fight again, but I just don’t know the reason. What am I going to fight for? To get into a battle? I love that. But I’ve taken some lumps over the years. It has to be for something. And maybe that something, I’ll recognize that or realize that in the coming weeks. But I’m just taking it one day at a time.”

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Poirier came out of his fifth-round submission defeat with a bevy of injuries including a broken nose, damaged ribs and a knee issue. He said the nose will require surgery, but all told he think he could be cleared to begin a training camp in roughly eight weeks.

Given he amount of physical duress he was facing, Poirier performed valiantly against Makhachev over the course of the fight as a sizeable underdog. And that fact is part of the reason Poirier can’t completely ignore the idea another UFC fight. The 35-year-old understands whatever is left of his prime could vanish in an instant, and he said he fears that time is coming.

“The only thing that makes me not want to walk away is I still feel I can compete with these guys, and I feel I’m still getting better,” Poirier said. “It’s not like I’m slowing down too much or age is getting to me. My reaction time is still good and I know I can beat those guys. And say I do leave, in a year from now it might not be the same if I ever try to come back. I’m scared to miss what I have left to give. But I also don’t want to give too much of myself. I want to give more because I know I have a short window to give the best of myself, but also I’ve given so much of myself to the sport for so long. It’s just like, where do I draw the line? That’s a battle I have to figure out for myself, because I don’t have the answers to a lot of these things.”

Poirier revealed that if he had beaten Makhachev at UFC 302, he would’ve laid the belt and his gloves down in the center of the octagon and retired. He admitted his wife Jolie has encouraged him post-fight to call it a career, and when Poirier is most honest with himself, he said his feelings trend toward obliging.

“I’m leaning towards being done,” Poirier said. “Especially getting the title fight. How many more times would I need to fight to get myself back into position to fight for the world title? I don’t know. But like I said, I’m not going to do it again. I’m not going to fight five more times trying to earn another title shot. I’m in a weird spot and I don’t know how to explain it or what decision to make. I’m taking it day-by-day and see what comes with my mind changing and seeing how I feel.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 302.

Daniel Cormier: I don’t know that we’ll ever see anybody more dominant than Khabib Nurmagomedov

Daniel Cormier points out the main difference between Islam Makhachev and Khabib Nurmagomedov.

[autotag]Daniel Cormier[/autotag] points out the main difference between [autotag]Islam Makhachev[/autotag] and [autotag]Khabib Nurmagomedov[/autotag].

Both Makhachev (25-1 MMA, 14-1 UFC) and Nurmagomedov have notched three title defenses as lightweight champion – the division’s record in the UFC. With Nurmagomedov in his corner, Makhachev retained his lightweight title by submitting Dustin Poirier in Saturday’s UFC 302 main event.

Nurmagomedov’s (29-0 MMA, 13-0 UFC) title defenses came over Conor McGregor, Poirier, and Justin Gaethje before he decided to hang up his gloves. Cormier discussed their performances against common opponent Poirier.

“I don’t know that it’s fair to compare them, especially based on the common opponent, because I believe Dustin Poirier was better because he had the opportunity to fight Khabib Nurmagomedov,” Cormier said on his ESPN show “Good Guy/Bad Guy” with Chael Sonnen.

“He had felt that strength in grappling – a little bit of a recognition of what he would be facing when he got in the octagon. I was one of the people that said early, and I said I think Islam Makhachev is more dangerous than Khabib because of his striking. But as I reflect on this, as a guy that’s been in there with both, I don’t know if we’ll ever see anyone as dominant as Khabib.”

Cormier explains that Makhachev’s willingness to stand on the feet puts him in more risky situations than Nurmagomedov, who had one specific, but unstoppable way of winning fights.

“I’m not saying that Islam was losing the fight on Saturday,” Cormier said. “There were times, though, where it looked competitive. How often did you see Khabib Nurmagomedov not look outwardly dominant? That is where I think you make the difference. We don’t know what would’ve happened if Khabib stayed for a while, but … history tells us he’d probably still be holding onto that championship right now with about eight or nine title defenses and still kind of dominating the way that he did.

“So when I watch them, I think the dominance is different because Islam will stand with you more than Khabib was willing to. But it was in the idea that you knew exactly what Khabib Nurmagomedov was going to do to you and nobody could stop it. With Islam, sure, you’ve got more things to worry about – you’ve got to worry about the striking. But with Khabib, he literally would tell you, ‘I am going to take you down and maul you and beat you up,’ and no one could stop it. I don’t know that we’ll ever see anybody more dominant than him.”

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Arman Tsarukyan: Version of Islam Makhachev at UFC 302 ‘would be very easy fight for me’

After watching Islam Makhachev at UFC 302, Arman Tsarukyan is adamant he can beat him.

After watching [autotag]Islam Makhachev[/autotag] at UFC 302, [autotag]Arman Tsarukyan[/autotag] is adamant he can beat him.

Makhachev (25-1 MMA, 14-1 UFC) retained his lightweight title with a Round 5 submission of Dustin Poirier in this past Saturday’s main event. Tsarukyan is touted to be the next title challenger, as he’ll look to avenge his UFC debut loss to Makhachev.

Tsarukyan saw Makhachev slow down against Poirier (30-8 MMA, 22-7 UFC), and thinks he’d exploit him if he got tired in their fight. Makhachev confirmed speculation that he was battling a staph infection less than a month out of the fight.

“It would be very easy fight for me,” Tsarukyan said on The MMA Hour. “I could outwrestle him (in) that fight as well because he got tired. When you’re tired, you can’t do sh*t. Even if you have the best skills in the world, if you’re tired, you’re done. All his five-round fights – he got tired with Volkanovski, he got tired with Dustin, and hopefully it’s going to be my key to win this fight.

Poirier hung tough, stuffing multiple takedown attempts and even busting Makhachev open with an elbow. Tsarukyan expected Poirier to perform well.

“I wasn’t (surprised),” Tsarukyan said. “I knew his heart is very good and I told everybody it’s like 60-40. Everybody talk like, ‘Oh, Islam going to win him, 100 percent. He’s not going to give him any chance,’ but I knew it’s going to be tough fight. Dustin, he’s a dog, so I wasn’t like – his defensive wrestling was super good and Islam couldn’t choke him. When he got tired in the fifth round, yeah, he got him.

“It wasn’t his best performance. He got tired and he was slow. I feel like Islam doesn’t have very good conditioning or maybe he got sick or whatever. I’m not judging him because of his last fight, I got to watch all his fights and take him serious. He’s No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter. I’m just going to prepare like it’s best version of Islam Makhachev. Not underestimate him. Dustin can defend his wrestling, I’m going to defend as well.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 302.

Jon Anik: Sean Strickland’s ‘next fight should definitely be for the championship’

Jon Anik campaigns for a Sean Strickland title shot after UFC 302.

[autotag]Jon Anik[/autotag] campaigns for a [autotag]Sean Strickland[/autotag] title shot after UFC 302.

After losing his middleweight title to Dricus Du Plessis in January, Strickland (29-6 MMA, 16-6 UFC) rebounded by defeating Paulo Costa in this past Saturday’s UFC 302 co-main event. He demanded a title shot after the win.

Anik agrees with Strickland. He thinks the former UFC middleweight champion has stepped up for the company on numerous occasions before.

“I thought he fought great,” Anik told MMA on Sirius XM. “I thought he could have waited for a championship opportunity and didn’t. I mean, has anyone stepped up for the UFC more than Sean Strickland?

“The main event against Nassourdine Imavov, the main event against Abus Magomedov – both of those had circumstances in which he was stepping up for the UFC, and those came on the back end of him putting his No. 4 ranking on the line against Alex Pereira when no one in the top 10 would’ve fought him at UFC 276. So if anyone deserves to sit right now for 12 months after essentially dominating Paulo Costa, it’s Sean Strickland.”

Strickland’s fight with Costa drew boos from the crowd, and prompted UFC CEO Dana White to say it wasn’t the fight he expected. Anik thinks it’s unfair for Strickland’s performance to be criticized.

“In no other sport do you have to win and entertain. Even in a 1-0 baseball game – and I said this on my podcast this week – everybody’s giving the pitcher credit,” Anik said. “Sean Strickland essentially just pitched a shutout against a very dangerous man in the top seven. I’m not sure what he was supposed to do.

“I know Eric Nicksick came over and apologized to Hunter (Campbell) and Dana a little bit. I knew it wasn’t the fight we expected. I thought it was going to be the Fight of the Night. But Sean Strickland – his skills never lead the conversation because of his personality, and I think his skills need to lead the conversation and his next fight should definitely be for the championship.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 302.

Sean Strickland responds to Luke Rockhold’s callout: ‘Xtreme? I’ll f*ck you up for fun’

Sean Strickland fires back at Luke Rockhold’s recent callout.

It didn’t take long for [autotag]Luke Rockhold[/autotag] to get a response from [autotag]Sean Strickland[/autotag].

Rockhold (16-6 MMA, 6-5 UFC) recently criticized Strickland’s fighting style and performance at Saturday’s UFC 302. Not only that, but he went a step further and said he’d like to get in the octagon and fight Strickland (29-6 MMA, 16-6 UFC).

Strickland took to X to fire back. It looks like he’s interested in fighting Rockhold and would do it at Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas rather than the UFC.

“Couple things… I sparred you 1 round, f*cked you up, and you snuck away like a b*tch. This was witnessed,” Strickland wrote. “Also, we were scheduled to fight. I said, ‘Hell yeah, that’s an easy paycheck,’ and you pulled out a few weeks out… Xtreme? I’ll f*ck you up for fun lol.”

Rockhold, a former UFC middleweight champion, is currently not with the UFC. He fought out his contract in 2022 after a Fight of the Night loss to Paulo Costa. Rockhold fought the following year with BKFC and suffered a TKO loss to Mike Perry. After some period of inactivity, Rockhold returned this past April to pick up a KO win over Joe Schilling at Karate Combat 45.

Strickland, also a former middleweight champion, is coming off the split decision over Costa, which put him back in the win column. He was outpointed by Dricus Du Plessis earlier this year, losing his UFC middleweight title.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 302.

Dustin Poirier reveals numerous injuries suffered at UFC 302 vs. Islam Makhachev

Dustin Poirier will be healing from multiple broken bones after his title fight against Islam Makhachev at UFC 302 in New Jersey.

[autotag]Dustin Poirier[/autotag] will be on the mend for quite some time following his latest bid for the undisputed lightweight title at UFC 302.

“The Diamond” went toe-to-toe with lightweight champ Islam Makhachev for over four rounds before being submitted by a D’arce choke in Round 5 of the UFC 302 pay-per-view event at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.

As the fight wore on, damage accumulated on Poirier. His nose became progressively bloody, and he mentioned he hurt his leg during a grappling sequence.

Wednesday, Poirier revealed numerous injuries in a social media post after receiving a full health assessment.

“Nose is broken bad, rib is broken, and my ACL is partially torn,” Poirier wrote on X. “Fight life.”

 

The average recovery time for a broken nose and rib is around six weeks. Poirier is looking at a longer average recovery time of three months for the partially torn ACL, depending on whether or not he opts for surgery. Considering the nature of MMA training, Poirier could be on the shelf for longer to make a full recovery.

Poirier, 35, strongly suggested retirement could be a possibility during his post-fight interviews. The former interim champion has traded wins and losses over his past six fights and will now have multiple injuries to deal with before returning to the training room to continue his career if he chooses to keep fighting.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 302.

Alexander Volkanovski says activity makes Islam Makhachev pound-for-pound No. 1 over Jon Jones

Alexander Volkanovski thinks Islam Makhachev is the rightful No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the UFC.

[autotag]Alexander Volkanovski[/autotag] thinks lightweight champion [autotag]Islam Makhachev[/autotag] is the rightful No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the UFC.

Makhachev (25-1 MMA, 14-1 UFC) submitted Dustin Poirier in Saturday’s UFC 302 headliner to notch his third title defense. In the post-fight news conference, UFC CEO Dana White claimed that former longtime light heavyweight champion and current heavyweight champ [autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag] should be No. 1 pound-for-pound over Makhachev.

Volkanovski (26-4 MMA, 13-3 UFC), who lost twice to Makhachev, thinks recent strength of schedule has to play a part in the argument.

“You look at Jon Jones, all right, we get it, you’re going to say he’s the greatest fighter of all time,” Volkanovski told Submission Radio. “But pound-for-pound has to go with, you know, if you fought, where one (has fought) in the last few years, eight times, against the names, and you’ve only fought once. Like, that’s got to come into play.

“But I mean, (if) we’re talking GOAT or greatest of all time top fighters, you know Jon Jones’ name is going to be up there. No one’s saying that’s not the case. But pound-for-pound, I think there has to be some activity there and who you fought lately. Islam has fought some great fighters and won. So, you’ve got to give him a lot of credit for that. I think he’s pound-for-pound.”

Volkanovski expressed interest in fighting Poirier at lightweight while he waits for his featherweight title shot. He praised both Makhachev and Poirier (30-9 MMA, 22-8 UFC) for their Fight of the Night efforts.

“I thought he (Poirier) fought great; Islam looked great, as well,” Volkanovski said. “I think a lot of people are expecting Dustin not to do so well. Like, obviously that first round it looked like, ‘Oh no, this is going to be a quick one.’ For him to bounce back from that and then start stopping the takedowns. The first one he got taken down pretty easily.

“So, I was like, ‘Oh, this ain’t a good look.’ But then he was able to stop him in the center, and he did a great job there. So, credit to him, showed toughness. But yeah, man, that’s expected from Dustin. We know he’s a gamer. We know he’s an absolute beast. And we know how good of a fighter Islam is. But I think Islam showed incredible striking, which we already knew.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 302.