p.m. ET on ESPN+
Islam
Makhachev might have gotten a tougher fight than he bargained
for from Dustin
Poirier, but that test turned out to be quite profitable for
the Dagestani champion.
Makhachev defeated Poirier via fifth-round submission to retain his
lightweight crown in the UFC 302
headliner at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey on
Saturday night. Poirier proved to be a game opponent, doing perhaps
his best work in the fourth frame before submitting to a brabo
choke in the final stanza. As a result, Makhachev and Poirier
received “Fight of the Night” honors and $50,000 apiece. Meanwhile,
Makhachev also earned one of the evening’s $50,000 “Performance of
the Night” awards to bring his bonus total to $100,000 overall.
Elsewhere, Kevin
Holland secured the evening’s other $50,000 “Performance of the
Night” check by virtue of his quick submission victory against
Michal
Oleksiejczuk in a featured middleweight scrap. After being
rocked in an early exchange, Holland took advantage of his
opponent’s aggression by locking in an armbar. The Pole refused to
tap, but the bout was waved off after it appeared his arm may have
been broken by the hold at the 1:34 mark of Round 1.
Order Now! UFC 302 “Makhachev vs. Poirier” Saturday at 10
p.m. ET on ESPN+