UFC News: Dustin Poirier Talks Retirement After Islam Makhachev Title Fight

UFC 302 is high-stakes for 'The Diamond'

Jessica Alcheh-USA TODAY Sports

(Photo: Jessica Alcheh-USA TODAY Sports)

Dustin Poirier's longevity in the MMA space is almost unprecedented.

'The Diamond' has been a perennial contender in the UFC for the better part of eight years, and he's showing no signs of slowing down. However, at 35 years old and with a title fight record of 0-2, Poirier's shot at the lightweight crown at UFC 302 could be the last time we see him at the very top.

Speaking to Fight Bananas on May 1, Poirier cleared the air on any retirement plans following the result of UFC 302:

"I just have a lot of stuff that kinda gets put on hold, so to say, for me to chase these dreams and stuff like that" Poirier explained. " .... I'm approaching 18 years of fighting, and I wanna become the world champion and live my life, you know? .... It could be [my last fight]. I haven't made an official decision yet, but it could be. I've said this over and over again, I still have a lot of tread on the tires I can beat these young guys - I just did it. But how much do I want to give to this sport, because you don't ride for free..."

Makhachev: I Could Make It Look Easy Against Poirier at UFC 302

Craig Kidwell-USA TODAY Sports

Lightweight kingpin Islam Makhachev has a different outlook on UFC 302; He's looking to make it 'easy' against Poirier. The Dagestani fighter was keen to give Poirier his props before breaking down his flaws:

"Dustin, he is a warrior, [a] legend," Makhachev told TMZ on April 28. "He has more than anybody experience in this sport. But his problem is his style. .... His weak point is wrestling and grappling, and I have the key for the easy fight. And if I follow the plan, I can beat him easy. My style and Khabib's style, it's [the] worst style for Dustin."

Thankfully for Poirier, he has more experience with Makhachev's fighting style than Makhachev does with his. In 2019, 'The Diamond' went toe-to-toe with Khabib Nurmagomedov, coming close to finishing 'The Eagle' with a guillotine in round three. Poirier eventually succumbed to a rear-naked choke but gave the all-time great a relatively competitive fight.

Unlike Nurmagomedov, Makhachev has tasted defeat before when he was KO'd by Adriano Martins in his second UFC appearance. This fact, paired with the Poirier underdog story, creates so much allure around this UFC 302 main event. MMA history could be made on June 1.

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