Makhachev names Poirier brawl at UFC 302 as the fight he rewinds most

Islam Makhachev has collected dominant wins and championship moments throughout his career, but it is a gritty, street-fight-style war that the UFC lightweight champion keeps returning to on replay. Speaking to Red Corner MMA, Makhachev singled out his title defense against Dustin Poirier at UFC 302 in 2024 as the most enjoyable performance of his career.

“Winning the championship was very emotional,” Makhachev said. “But the fight I keep rewatching is the Poirier fight. We fought as if it was a street fight. Plus, I managed to finish him. I really enjoyed this fight.”

Poirier, now 30-10, was making his third and final attempt at the UFC lightweight title that night, and he gave Makhachev one of the sternest examinations of his career. “The Diamond” neutralised Makhachev’s takedown game with exemplary takedown defense, forcing the champion to compete for extended stretches on the feet. Makhachev held his own in that unfamiliar territory before sealing the finish with a brabo choke in the final round.

Makhachev (28-1) acknowledged that his second title victory — a dominant unanimous decision over Jack Della Maddalena — carried its own emotional weight. Yet it is the Poirier fight, with its unscripted, back-and-forth intensity, that he finds himself revisiting. The distinction he draws is telling: emotional satisfaction and competitive enjoyment are not always the same thing, and for Makhachev, it was the fight that pushed him hardest that left the deepest impression.