UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev was very impressed with Dustin Poirier’s latest performance inside the Octagon.
Stepping into the co-main event spotlight, ‘The Diamond’ was tasked with taking out surging division standout Benoit Saint-Denis at UFC 299 in Miami. Through the first seven minutes, things were not looking good for Poirier as the ‘God of War’ continued to smother the former interim titleholder with his world-class wrestling.
Poirier certainly wasn’t doing any favors for himself by attempting to go for the ever-enticing, but usually unsuccessful guillotine choke no less than four times.
However, Poirier turned the tables near the halfway point of the second round with a sneaky left uppercut that momentarily dropped Saint-Denis. That kickstarted a sequence of events allowing Poirier to land a monstrous right hook that immediately rendered BSD unconscious.
The ‘Dagestani Destroyer’ was quick to compliment his division rival on social media.
Very impressive Dustin
— Makhachev Islam (@MAKHACHEVMMA) March 10, 2024
“Very impressive Dustin,” Makhachev wrote on X.
Dustin Poirier Secures His Spot in the Lightweight Top Five
With his impressive victory over Benoit Saint-Denis at UFC 299, Dustin Poirier secured his spot as the division’s No. 3 ranked contender. Unfortunately, that won’t necessarily land him a shot at Makhachev’s 155-pound crown anytime soon. Currently, the protege of Khabib Nurmagomedov is expected to square off with BMF titleholder Justin Gaethje later this year — once ‘The Highlight’ takes care of some business at UFC 300 with Max Holloway.
Also going down at the promotion’s landmark event on April 13 is a title eliminator between former champion Charles Oliveira and rising contender Arman Tsarukyan.
Thus far, Makhachev has successfully defended his title twice in back-to-back bouts against former featherweight king Alexander Volkanovski — the most recent coming in October when the ‘Dagestani Destroyer’ dispatched ‘The Great’ with a brutal head kick in the opening round.