UFC lightweight standout Drew Dober has a surprising opinion on a potential Islam Makhachev vs Dustin Poirier showdown. It would be a battle of Khabib Nurmagomedov’s protege looking to defend his UFC lightweight world title against the dangerous US-born ‘The Diamond’ Poirier.
Top-15 ranked lightweight Dober is currently on a three-fight TKO win streak in the UFC’s lightweight division. After his most recent TKO victory against Bobby Green, the American fighter sat down for an interview with James Lynch. On a UFC world title fight between Islam Makhachev and Dustin Poirier, he explained:
“I think Dustin Poirier could give him some problems. That would be a close fight. Really, the fight IQ in that fight would be the winning factor.” [Transcript courtesy of BJ Penn.com]
Dober has some experience against one of these fighters as he faced the now-champion Makhachev in 2021 and lost via submission.
Drew Dober says few can beat Islam Makhachev in the UFC
The US-born Dober is choosing himself and Poirier to defeat the reigning world champion Islam Makhachev, and no one else. On whether other fighters in the UFC’s lightweight division stand a chance against the Dagestani powerhouse, Dober said:
“As of right now, if I answer honestly, I think Islam Makhachev is an equation that the division hasn’t figured out yet. So I don’t really see him being defeated.”
Makhachev will next be facing the featherweight king Alexander Volkanovski in 2023 in an all-champions showdown. On this February UFC 284 fight, Dober said:
Man, [Alexander] Volkanovski, he’s got a solid chance, but I think there’s going to be a significant size difference in that fight. And I think Islam is going to surprise people.”
See the full interview below: