Dustin Poirier predicts Islam Makhachev fight at UFC 302: 'I'm going to knock him unconscious'
Dustin Poirier gave a cold prediction for his fight against Islam Makhachev.
Poirier (30-8 MMA, 22-7 UFC) challenges lightweight champion Makhachev (25-1 MMA, 14-1 UFC) in the UFC 302 main event June 1 at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.
Former interim champ Poirier will look to claim undisputed gold for the first time in his career after falling short twice. He envisions a violent finish of Makhachev, whose lone career loss came by knockout.
“I’m going to knock him unconscious and the ref is going to be pulling me off of him,” Poirier told Yahoo Sports.
Makhachev predicted that Poirier jumping the guillotine choke – which he’s failed to secure on numerous occasions, will be his downfall. Poirier joked that he has to try at least once, but explained that it’s a submission he’s had plenty of success with during practice.
“Crushing it dude, yes,” Poirier said. “That’s why I’m so surprised and blown away that I have 50 fights and I’ve never finished one with a guillotine – crazy.”
Poirier’s head coach, Mike Brown, heavily advised Poirier against jumping for the guillotine choke in his most recent fight against Benoit Saint Denis at UFC 299, but Poirier tried multiple times anyway. Although he failed, he was able to knock out Saint Denis in Round 2.
“‘Don’t give up position’: That’s the record on repeat,” Poirier said of Brown’s advice. “Don’t go for it even if you think it’s good, tight or you have a good feel for it. Don’t give up position, especially with a guy like Islam you know.
“You give up position, you might be trying to get back to your feet for the rest of the round and losing a round or putting yourself in deeper water and getting into a worse, a dangerous position. So we’ll see. I just have to play it and see how I feel in there in those positions. But I’ll probably jump it.”
For more on the cards, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 302.