The UFC 302 main event has been set pitting lightweight champion Islam Makhachev against Dustin Poirier. The fight card takes place at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey on Saturday, June 1.
Riding a 13-fight winning streak, Islam Makhachev (25-1) makes the third defense of his title. The 32-year-old won a pair of fights by knockout and decision against Alexander Volkanovski last October and February, respectively, after taking the vacant belt by submission against Charles Oliveira in October 2022.
Former interim lightweight champion Dustin Poirier (30-8, 1 NC) is coming off the win by knockout in the second round against Benoit Saint Denis in March. The 35-year-old native of Lafayette, Louisiana previously challenged for the full belt twice, losing both fights by submission against Oliveira in December 2021 and Khabib Nurmagomedov in September 2019.
Dana White revealed the matchup at the UFC 300: Pereira vs Hill post-fight press conference today. UFC CEO also announced Sean Strickland up against Paulo Costa as the middleweight co-main event on the card, as well as confirmed the fight date for Conor McGregor vs Michael Chandler on June 29 in Las Vegas.
The current UFC 302: Makhachev vs Poirier lineup looks as the following:
- Islam Makhachev vs Dustin Poirier, lightweight – Makhachev’s UFC lightweight title
- Sean Strickland vs. Paulo Costa, middleweight
- Niko Price vs. Jeremiah Wells, welterweight
- Roman Dolidze vs. Anthony Hernandez, middleweight
- Mickey Gall vs. Bassil Hafez, welterweight
- Philip Rowe vs. Jake Matthews, welterweight
- Grant Dawson vs. Joe Solecki, lightweight
- Joselyne Edwards vs. Ailin Perez, women’s bantamweight
- Hyun Sung Park vs. Andre Lima, flyweight
- Su Mudaerji vs. Joshua Van, flyweight
- Jailton Almeida vs. Alexander Romanov, heavyweight
- Roman Kopylov vs. Cesar Almeida, middleweight