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Dustin Poirier surpassed everyone’s expectations at UFC 302 — including those of American Kickboxing Academy coach Javier Mendez.

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Poirier challenged Islam Makhachev for the lightweight title in the main event at UFC 302 on Saturday in his third bid for undisputed gold. A massive underdog going into the event, Poirier was widely expected to be dominated by Makhachev as he was by Khabib Nurmagomedov in 2019.

When Poirier was taken down early and controlled for the majority of the opening frame, the result seemed like a forgone conclusion. However, “The Diamond” bounced back in the second round, denying Makhachev multiple takedowns to give the champ a stern test. While Poirier submitted to a brabo choke from Makhachev in the fifth round, the Louisiana native surprised fans and pundits alike by making the fight as close as he did.

Mendez, who was in Makhachev’s corner, admits to being surprised by Poirier’s performance, as well…

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Alexander Volkanovski is exploring side hustles at lightweight while he awaits another shot at the featherweight title.

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Islam Makhachev successfully defended his lightweight title against Dustin Poirier via fifth-round submission in the main event at UFC 302 on Saturday. Poirier subsequently hinted that he might call it a career in the aftermath of the defeat.

However, Volkanovski hasn’t completely given up hope of Poirier competing again. The former featherweight champ called for a lightweight clash against “The Diamond” while he awaits another shot at the 145-pound strap.

“Maybe, just maybe, depending on what I’m doing and when, obviously I want to fight later in the year… I don’t want to wait too long, either. So, if the timing works, maybe me and Dustin maybe we can have a good fight,” Volkanovski said on his YouTube channel. “I don’t know, he sort of just wants good, fun fights. Obviously, we have a lot of respect for e…

Dear UFC Fans--

The #UFC303 press conference scheduled for Monday June 3rd in Dublin, Ireland at 3Arena has been postponed until further notice.  We sincerely apologize to all the fans who were planning to attend.  When we have further information on a new date and time, we will… pic.twitter.com/nIXRIZl5pv

— UFC (@ufc) June 3, 2024

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A press conference in Dublin that was supposed to kick off promotion for the Conor McGregor-Michael Chandler headliner at UFC 303 has been postponed.

The UFC announced the news via social media on Sunday night. The presser was scheduled to take place at 3Arena in Dublin at 12 p.m. ET/9 a.m. PT on Monday. A reason for the postponement was not given.

“The press conference scheduled for Monday June 3 in Dublin, Ireland, at 3Arena has been postponed until further notice,” read a statement from the UFC. “We sincerely apologize to all the fans who were planning to attend.  Whe…

Islam Makhachev might have a ready-made contender in the lightweight division awaiting him, but that isn’t the option that intrigues him the most.

After submitting Dustin Poirier with a brabo choke in the fifth round of the UFC 302 headliner at the Prudential Arena in Newark, New Jersey, on Saturday night, Makhachev expressed interest in moving to 170 pounds in an attempt to become a two-division champion. He then reiterated that sentiment during Saturday’s post-fight press conference.

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“Who doesn’t want to be double champion? This is history. How many double champions [do] we have? This is a dream for all fighters, to get second belt,” Makhachev said.

“This is my dream. I want to be in the history and people know me like double champ. This is my dream. If I have chance, a small chance, I will get. If you want a great legacy, you have to get second belt. It’s my opinion.”

By besting Poirier, Makhachev made his third successful title defense, wh…

After outdueling Paulo Costa for five rounds in the UFC 302 co-main event, Sean Strickland remains in the thick of the championship discussion at 185 pounds.

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Strickland claimed middleweight gold with a massive upset of Israel Adesanya at UFC 293, but he relinquished the crown one fight later, losing a narrow split decision against Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 297 in January. While Adesanya hasn’t competed since his loss to Strickland, it is expected that he will receive the next championship opportunity against Du Plessis.

As for Strickland, he is willing to wait for as long as it takes to receive what he believes he’s earned.

“As long as it takes, man. As long as it takes,” Strickland said at Saturday’s post-fight press conference. “I want the gold, dude. I want the gold. When you’re fighting these top-10 motherf—-s, dude, you’re only one slip or dodge away from getting knocked out. I paid my penance: I went and fought Costa. I didn’t want to an…

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According to Ultimate Fighting Championship CEO Dana White, there’s no debate as to who deserves to be mixed martial arts’ No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter.

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While Islam Makhachev secured his 14th consecutive victory — and third successful title defense — with a fifth-round submission victory against Dustin Poirier in the UFC 302 headliner on Saturday night, White believes current heavyweight champion Jon Jones still has the superior resume.

“I think he’s [Makhachev] one of the greatest of all-time. I think he’s incredible. I don’t think he’s the pound-for-pound best fighter in the world,” White said at Saturday’s post-fight press conference. “For anyone to call Islam the pound-for-pound best fighter in the world when Jon Jones is still f—ing fighting is nuts and shouldn’t be ranking in the pound-for-pound, or doing any of the f—ing rankings ever if that’s what you really think.

“Jon Jones has never lost a fight, ever. He’s fough…

Kevin Holland apologized to Donald Trump for what he perceived to be a previous snub after his first-round submission win over Michal Oleksiejczuk at UFC 302.

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Holland survived a knockdown from Oleksiejczuk to secure an armbar, which appeared to injure the Pole’s arm and forced referee Herb Dean to step in at the 1:34 mark of the opening frame. “Trailblazer” immediately jumped over the Octagon and spoke to Trump, who was in attendance for the event at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.

Holland later revealed that he actually apologized to Trump for not greeting him in a previous instance. Holland noted that his first instinct is to always speak to UFC executives seated cageside.

“I just apologized because the first time that I hopped out of the cage when he was there, I didn’t speak to him,” Holland said during a post-fight media scrum. “And no disrespect to anybody ever, the person who signs my checks is usually the first person I’…

Rather than seeking a rematch, Grant Dawson is looking to get over his loss against Bobby Green by beating an opponent that recently beat “King.”

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Dawson bounced back from a knockout loss against Green with a dominant unanimous decision win over Joe Solecki at UFC 302 on Saturday. Dawson then called out Jalin Turner, who knocked out Green in December 2023.

“I want get back into the Top 15 by the end of this year, so I’d like to fight Jalin Turner,” Dawson said during a post-fight media scrum. “I don’t think Jalin Turner is gonna want to fight me, especially after a performance like that… He beat the guy that beat me. And there’s an easy way to get over Bobby without actually having to fight Bobby again, is beat the guy that beat him.”

Dawson was a considerable favorite going into the first UFC headliner of his career against Green in October 2023. Green knocked out Dawson in 33 seconds at UFC Fight Night 229, handing “KGD” the first loss of hi…

Ailin Perez called out Kayla Harrison after her win over Joselyne Edwards at UFC 302 on Saturday.

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Perez and Edwards looked to settle their rivalry, which started with an altercation at the UFC Performance Institute in November 2023. “Fiona” survived a blatant head butt from Edwards and went on to register a unanimous decision victory in their preliminary bantamweight bout at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. The Argentine standout subsequently called out two-time Olympic gold medalist Kayla Harrison.

Elaborating on her callout, Perez noted that the former Professional Fighters League lightweight champ currently has a lot of clout in the division. Perez wants to fight Harrison in a main event, which would be the first five rounder of the Argentine’s career if it comes to fruition.

“Yes, I called out Kayla Harrison back there in the interview,” Perez said during a post-fight media scrum. “This is the name that’s resounding in the di…

Order Now! UFC 302 “Makhachev vs. Poirier” Saturday at 10 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 m…

Order Now! UFC 302 “Makhachev vs. Poirier” Saturday at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+

If a champion is defined by the quality of his rivalries, Islam Makhachev is building one hell of a résumé.

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In the main event of UFC 302 on Saturday in Newark, New Jersey, Makhachev (26-1) encountered stern resistance from a valiant and dangerous Dustin Poirier (30-9, 1 NC) before securing the dramatic finish.

The two lightweight greats began with some spirited exchanges on the feet but the champ, as expected, employed his wrestling quickly. Makhachev changed levels within the first minute of the fight and deposited “The Diamond” on the canvas at the base of the fence. From there, he went to work with his crushingly heavy top game. Poirier was not quite done, taking advantage of a kimura attempt by the champ to escape to his knees, but Makhachev spun behind him, secured a body triangle and went to work for a choke. Poirier survived to the end of the round, avoiding any subm…

As the Ultimate Fighting Championship makes its way back for its 10th visit to “Brick City” this weekend, a lightweight clash sits atop the marquee, as reigning champion Islam Makhachev faces off with former interim 155-pound title holder Dustin Poirier in a deeply-compelling and undeniably legacy-shaping duel.

UFC 302 goes down on June 1 at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. The bill is supported by a stellar main card lineup and a solid assembly of preliminary clashes. Stay tuned to Sherdog.com at 6:30 p.m. ET/ 3:30 p.m. ET to catch live play-by-play coverage of all of the action.

Order Now! UFC 302 “Makhachev vs. Poirier” Saturday at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+ BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Lima (-218), Raposo (+180)Round 1 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Ben Duffy scores the round:Devin Tejada scores the round:Round 2 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Ben Duffy scores the round:Devin Tejada scores the round:Round 3 Sherdog Scores Jay …

Order Now! UFC 302 "Makhachev vs. Poirier" Saturday at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+ Roman Kopylov taught the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s newest crossover kickboxing star why they call it “mixed” martial arts.

In the top prelim of UFC 302 on Saturday in Newark, New Jersey, Kopylov (13-3) gave Cesar Almeida (5-1) a taste of what might await him as he scaled the UFC middleweight ranks. Kopylov, himself usually a kickboxer by preference, elected to test the unproven grappling of “Cesinha,” trying for a takedown in the opening minute, then succeeding a moment later, grounding the Brazilian at the base of the fence. Almeida got back up quickly but was floored by a Kopylov left hand near the midpoint of the round. Kopylov let his man back up, but was wide open for yet another takedown late, and rode out the balance of the round from top position. Almeida regrouped for the second frame, turning aside Kopylov’s first several takedown attempts, slipping his punches and landing some…

Arman Tsarukyan says if Dustin Poirier called him a motherf***er, his hand "definitely would've reached the target" 😳

"I need to react. To say that we are from a different culture and such things should not be told to us.

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It's good for Islam that he is not a very… pic.twitter.com/KS8fKWq9ew — Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) June 1, 2024

Arman Tsarukyan is admittedly not as tolerant as Islam Makhachev.

Makhachev defends his strap against Dustin Poirier in the main event at UFC 302 on Saturday at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. During their pre-fight face off, “The Diamond” called Makhachev a “motherf—-r,” evidently irking the champion. The Dagestani sternly asked Poirier to avoid using that term but refrained from getting physical with the Louisiana native.

Tsarukyan recently weighed in on the incident, claiming he would have reacted differently than Makhachev. “Ahalkalakets” indicated that most …

[embedded content] Order Now! UFC 302 “Makhachev vs. Poirier” Saturday at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+ After a rare week off, the Ultimate Fighting Championship returns with a thrilling lightweight title fight and an intriguing UFC 302 pay-per-view card.

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The main event for the 12-fight card is now official. Both champion Islam Makhachev and challenger Dustin Poirier weighed 155 pounds on the dot for the five-round fight. One fighter missed weight as Andre Lima came in at 130 pounds for his flyweight fight against Mitch Raposo. He'll be fined 30% of his purse as a result.

Fans will be treated to see Makhachev (25-1) up against another proper lightweight after back-to-back title defenses over Alexander Volkanovski. While the first outing was quite close, Makhachev knocked out "The Great" with a brutal head kick in the first round of their short-notice rematch. The Russian fighter won the belt in 2022 by submitting Charles Oliveira with an arm-triangle choke.

Read more about UFC 302 Weigh-in Results: Lightweight Title Fight Set; 1 Fighter Heavy

Paul vs Tyson update. pic.twitter.com/7jPUN5KeSq

— Most Valuable Promotions (@MostVpromotions) May 31, 2024 Legendary boxer Mike Tyson needs to heal up and recover before getting back to the ring again.

Tyson (50-6, 2 NC; 44 KOs) was slated to take on Jake Paul (9-1, 6 KOs) on July 20 in a modified pro boxing match. The two were expected to tangle at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. However, Tyson suffered a medical issue involving an ulcer on Sunday during a flight, and medical professional had to tend to him. This has resulted in Tyson being forced to stop training for a few weeks, until his recovery allows him to do so without limits. Due to this, the event has been postponed to a future date, one that will be announced on June 7.

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The fight, and potentially the remainder of the card, will still be held in the same building. Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions organization has stated in a press release that all ti…

Hay regreso argentino🇦🇷🔥 Hay batalla de veteranos en las 1️⃣7️⃣0️⃣ libras el sábado 13 de julio❗️@SPonzinibbioMMA vs Muslim Salikhov pic.twitter.com/FoWAjnAevU

— UFC Español (@UFCEspanol) May 31, 2024 The Ultimate Fighting Championship will be bringing a striker’s delight battle to Denver in July.

Per the organization on Friday, Santiago Ponzinibbio (29-7) and Muslim Salikhov (19-5) will come to blows on July 13. The two welterweights will collide at a currently unnumbered UFC Fight Night card that will be held at the Ball Arena in Denver. They combine for 29 knockouts in their lengthy careers, with 20 of those coming in the first round.

This will be Ponzinibbio’s first appearance in over a year, with his last outing an unsuccessful one when he faced and fell to a ferocious left hook from Kevin Holland. The fighter currently known as “Argentine Dagger” has struggled as of late, dropping three of his last four bouts. A pair of split deci…

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Paul Hughes became one of Ireland’s most popular fighters in under a dozen bouts. Now, his sights are set on the globe. The former Cage Warriors featherweight champion has big plans since signing with the Professional Fighters League last April, but first, he must handle business on home soil.

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Before competing in the PFL season, the 27-year-old Belfast native will make his company debut against Bobby King in the Bellator Champions Series Dublin co-main event on June 22 at 3Arena. The event will stream live in HBO’s Max app in the U.S.

Hughes co-headlines the card led by Bellator MMA welterweight champion Jason Jackson’s showdown against Ramazan Kurmagomedov, but will receive the most love from the hometown fans. Hughes is a budding star and will have the pro-Irish crowd in the palm of his gloves.

“It’s going to be a big moment for me because 3Arena is so iconic,” Hughes said. “To have the opportunity to co-headline it is a…

We aren't back because we never left. Now it's time for us to do the talking....#InvictaFC55 | Kansas City, Kansas at Memorial Hall @Talita_MMA(c) vs @bigbad2_0 for the bantamweight title

Full card and tickets released May 31st

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NEW DISTRIBUTION DEAL ANNOUNCED SOON pic.twitter.com/TAxPcuAXyu — Invicta FC (@InvictaFights) May 28, 2024 It’s been a while, but Invicta Fighting Championships is coming back in full swing this summer.

On Tuesday, organizational chief Shannon Knapp announced on the “MMA Today” show on the MMA on SiriusXM radio channel that Invicta would be staging its first event of the year in June. The women’s-only league last ran a show in October 2023, and rumors had spread that Invicta was in jeopardy. According to a press release on Friday, a full seven-fight offering will be held at the Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kansas. The broadcast arrangements have not yet been made public, but Invicta later poste…

Surging bantamweight Carlo Bumina-ang made quick work of Chayan Oorzhak and secured his fifth ONE Championship victory in a ONE Friday Fights 65 bantamweight showcase on Friday at Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

Bumina-ang (5-0, 5-0 ONE) came out with guns blazing and was quick to floor his opponent with a straight left before slamming him to the canvas and unleashing a barrage of strikes from mount. Oorzhak (8-3, 3-1 ONE), now leaking blood from the top of his face thanks to the assault, was quick to scramble and offer his back to Bumina-ang. However, the Russian proved to be crafty on the ground and was wise to Bumina-ang’s submission attacks. With less than a minute left in the frame and no submission in sight, Bumina-ang chose to stand up and engage with his opponent on the feet, landing several jarring kicks to the head and body to end the round.

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Round 2 saw Bumina-ang drop Oorzhak with another straight left within the first minute…

Order Now! UFC 302 "Makhachev vs. Poirier" Saturday at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+ In a stunning turn of events, Brazilian fighters and analysts pick against one of their countrymen in an upcoming Ultimate Fighting Championship bout.

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Among one of the more popular MMA fighters in Brazil, Paulo Costa (14-3) has the eyes of Brazilian faithful focused on his Octagon return on Saturday. In the co-main event of UFC 302, “Borrachinha” faces former champion Sean Strickland (28-6) in a major five-round middleweight matchup. With three losses in his last four outings, the former title challenger is coming in as the betting underdog. Sherdog reached out to six Brazilian coaches, competitors and analysts, who weighed in on the pivotal 185-pound contest.

Vinicio Antony, former head coach of Vitor Belfort and Lyoto Machida: “Strickland is such an animal. A long time ago, we paid him to help Lyoto in a camp, I think it was for the fight against Rockhold, and he really impresse…

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Islam Makhachev believes he has the blueprint for a quick night at the office against Dustin Poirier at UFC 302.

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Makhachev will look to defend his lightweight strap against Poirier in the main event at UFC 302 this weekend at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. This will be the third title shot for Poirier, whose first gold bid was foiled by a third-round submission loss to Makhachev’s teammate and mentor Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 242 in 2019. Like Nurmagomedov, Makhachev also doesn’t think Poirier has made any significant improvements since that loss. Makhachev also believes that both Poirier and his coach Mike Thomas Brown don’t think “The Diamond” can win at UFC 302. Makhachev acknowledges Poirier’s elite striking, but considers himself the worst stylistic matchup for the Louisiana native.

“Honestly, he’s the same you know. Maybe [he’s aged,]” the lightweight champ said during UFC 302 media day. “And he doesn’t believe …

And this 👇 pic.twitter.com/YiEzrIx6yh

— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) May 29, 2024

Conor McGregor will seemingly never get over his rivalry with Dagestani fighters, judging by his recent dig at Islam Makhachev.

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Makhachev is scheduled to defend his lightweight strap against Dustin Poirier (30-8) in the UFC 302 main event Saturday. In a recent picture of both fighters sporting the new 3Eight and 5Eight gloves, hawk-eyed fans spotted a mark on Makhachev’s leg, sparking off speculation of a potential staph infection. As of now, there is no confirmation whether Makhachev really has staph and its possible implications on the fight.

McGregor didn’t miss the opportunity to slam Makhachev and his team on social media. However, “Notorious” also predicted that the Dagestani will submit Poirier in the first round regardless.

“Staph again. This inbred however lives with Staph,” McGregor said on X, formerly known as Twitte…

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Islam Makhachev favors former foe Charles Oliveira in a potential clash against Colby Covington.

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Makhachev dethroned Oliveira via Round 2 submission at UFC 280 in October 2022. Oliveira bounced back with a knockout win over Beneil Dariush at UFC 289 to earn a rematch against Makhachev and was once again scheduled to take on the Dagestani phenom at UFC 294 in October 2023, but was forced to withdraw due to a nasty cut suffered in sparring just 11 days before the fight.

Oliveira was replaced on short notice by Alexander Volkanovski, who suffered a head-kick knockout loss against Makhachev, who is now slated to put his title on the line against Dustin Poirier in the UFC 302 main event on June 1.

Order Now! UFC 302 “Makhachev vs. Poirier” Saturday at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+ Meanwhile, Oliveira recently returned to action, coming up on the short side of a split decision against surging contender Arman Tsarukyan in a title eliminator…