Islam Makhachev and Dustin Poirier will headline an event with other exciting clashes. Here’s all the info on the complete card.
Fidel RubioUpdate: May 29th, 2024 09:23 EDT0
Another great week of combat sports is just around the corner, as fans will be able to enjoy some boxing matches, including the Deontay Wilder vs Zhilei Zhang, and the UFC 302 card, with the Islam Makhachev vs Dustin Poirier main event battle.
Although UFC 300 will be difficult to match, this weekend’s event features some top-level fights with some of the best and most charismatic fighters of the world’s biggest MMA company.
UFC 302 main event: Makhachev vs Poirier
Without a doubt, the fight between the current lightweight champion and ‘The Diamond’ will be the star of the night.
The Dagestani (25-1) is a big favorite to retain his title, although Poirier (30-8-1) is one of the most aggressive and exciting fighters to watch and anything can happen if the Louisiana native is in top form.
Although he missed his two chances of becoming the division’s king against Charles Oliveira and Khabib Nurmagomedov, Poirier believes he has what it takes to pull off the upset and reign supreme once and for all. The former lightweight interim champion will have a third and maybe last chance to fight for the championship and will do whatever it takes to fulfill his dream.
However, Makhachev is a master in the ground game and one of the best submission artists in the UFC. He will likely try to take the fight to the mat and dominate from there. However, if anything can happen that’s in the mixed martial arts world, where a punch or an injury can completely change the outcome of a fight. Dustin knows he has the striking ability to land on Makhachev and finish the clash, but the question is whether he will be able to connect that shot.
Showed just why he's the number 1 P4P his last time out 😤@MAKHACHEVMMA puts his lightweight title on the line again Saturday night at #UFC302 pic.twitter.com/5pal8YwxXf
— UFC (@ufc) May 28, 2024
Strickland, Costa & Holland, big names in the main card
But before the main event, fans will enjoy some of the world’s best fighting action with some of the most ruthless athletes.
Former middleweight champion Sean Strickland and Brazilian star Paulo Costa will go head-to-head in a difficult co-main fight to predict. The American is a proven fighter (28-6) who will try to bounce back from losing the title to Dricus du Plessis. His opponent, Costa, will try to use his strength and punching power to take Strickland out in one of the most awaited fights.
The controversial Kevin Holland will also return to action against Michal Oleksiejczuk while rising star Jailton Almeida will try to record his 21st win as a professional against the Moldovan Alexander Romanov.