UFC 302 LIVE: Poirier vs Makhachev fight updates and results as champion retains in final round
Re-live all the action after Dustin Poirier came up short against Islam Makhachev in their lightweight title fight
Dustin Poirier was denied a fairytale ending to his story in the Octagon on Saturday, as Islam Makhachev submitted the fan favourite to retain the lightweight title at UFC 302.
Poirier, 35, was fighting for the title for the third time, having previously suffered submission losses to Khabib Nurmagomedov in 2019 and Charles Oliveira in 2021.
The American previously held the interim belt but failed to unify the gold, and he hinted before and after UFC 302 that he might not fight again.
Poirier did himself justice across four-and-a-half rounds against Makhachev, the UFC’s pound-for-pound No 1, but the Russian out-grappled Poirier for much of the bout and secured a D’Arce choke in the final frame. Poirier tapped out but also seemed to go unconscious immediately after – for a brief moment – as Makhachev recorded a third successful title defence.
In doing so, Makhachev matched the number of defences achieved by Khabib, his coach and childhood friend, who reigned from 2018 until his in-ring retirement in 2020. Re-live UFC 302 updates and see all results below.
UFC 302 LIVE: Sean Strickland vs Paulo Costa
Round five
Costa is doing better right now, throwing more low kicks again and committing to close range to land punches.
More leg kicks and body jabs from Costa, who then throws a body kick. Strickland with a teep to the body.
Costa just about lands two left hooks upstairs, but he eats a jab for his trouble.
Strickland lets his right hand go now, and he drops Costa with a head kick! Costa stands and is wobbled by another, before Strickland jumps forward with a sort of flying front kick!
To the scorecards we go...
Sean Strickland def. Paulo Costa via split decision (46-49, 50-45, 49-46)
That 49-46 scorecard to Costa is very generous.
UFC 302 LIVE: Sean Strickland vs Paulo Costa
Round four
Costa is struggling to get past Strickland’s jab. Strickland keeps stalking Costa.
The former champ throws a couple more teep kicks to the body. Costa misses with a left hook and eats a cross.
Good side kick from Costa, but again he can’t close range because of Strickland’s jabs.
Oh! Good left hook to the body by Costa, though.
UFC 302 LIVE: Sean Strickland vs Paulo Costa
Round three
Strickland has Costa scrambling to get some space – just for a moment.
Costa kicks to the body, but Strickland partially catches it. Strickland checks a low kick, and Costa seems to have been hurt by that...
Strickland is frustrating Costa with his jab now. Costa just misses with a left hook. Decent one-two now, though.
Costa is trying to deter Strickland with feints, but the American isn’t really biting.
UFC 302 LIVE: Sean Strickland vs Paulo Costa
Round two
Both men kick low. Hard outside leg kick from Costa, then a cross to the body. Again he kicks low.
Strickland’s lead leg is red, but so is Costa’s mid-section! More front kicks by Strickland, aimed at that red patch on Costa’s front.
Strickland is maintaining his pressure, keeping Costa backpedaling. Eventually Costa tries to get a body lock, but Strickland shrugs him off.
Snapping jab by Strickland, jolting back the head of Costa, who simultaneously lands a leg kick. Another well-timed shot from Strickland sends Costa tumbling into the fence. Again, though, it’s not a hard knockdown – just a timely jab.
UFC 302 LIVE: Sean Strickland vs Paulo Costa
Round one
Two low kicks from Costa early on. He looks massive in there. Strickland presses forward gently.
More low kicks from Costa. Strickland flicks out a few front kicks to the body. And again.
Neither man is rushing; they have five rounds, if they need them.
Strickland continues to press forward. Costa kicks low yet again. Nice jab by Costa. He kicks to the body, then jabs.
More front kicks from Strickland, who can’t get into boxing range. Until now! He drops Costa to his backside with a well-timed punch, though it’s not a heavy knockdown.
Costa will get worn out soon from all this backwards movement and these body kicks.
UFC 302 LIVE: Sean Strickland vs Paulo Costa
Time for the co-main event!
Can Sean Strickland bounce back from his title loss to Dricus Du Plessis in January? It was a narrow decision defeat for the American, who now faces former title challenger Paulo Costa.
Costa is coming off a slim points loss to ex-champion Robert Whittaker, who bounced back from his own (surprise) loss to Du Plessis by overcoming Costa in February.
This one is scheduled for five rounds, which most fans and pundits believe favours Strickland, who thus far has shown a superior gas taken to his Brazilian foe.
UFC 302 LIVE: Kevin Holland vs Michal Oleksiejczuk
Three fights left. First up: Kevin Holland vs Michal Oleksiejczuk at middleweight.
Round one
Southpaw Oleksiejczuk sends Holland staggering with a clean left hand in the early moments. Now he catches a side kick.
Holland is just out of range of an overhand, but the next gets him! Holland crashes to the mat, but Oleksiejczuk rushes into his guard, and Holland goes for an armbar!
Oleksiejczuk is in it for ages, and it’s WRENCHED on! He doesn’t tap, but the referee steps in, after Oleksiejczuk’s arm seemingly BREAKS?!
It did look like it snapped. Wow. Oleksiejczuk complains to the ref, but at the very least his arm is dislocated; it’s limp. Holland was talking to Oleksiejczuk during the armbar, as if he was trying to convince Oleksiejczuk to tap.
Kevin Holland def. Oleksiejczuk via first-round technical submission (armbar, 1:34)
UFC 302 LIVE: Niko Price vs Alex Morono 2
Round three
A left hook lands for Morono, but there’s nothing on it. He looks exhausted. Can Price capitalise?
He catches Morono on the end of an uppercut. OH! And again, cleaner this time. He takes down Morono with ease.
Price runs rings around Morono on the mat, then both fighters stand. Price times a knee wonderfully as they do.
Decent elbow from Price now, and a left elbow. Some wild striking on display from Morono.
Niko Price def. Alex Morono via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
UFC 302 LIVE: Niko Price vs Alex Morono 2
Next up, a rematch between welterweights Niko Price and Alex Morono! The pair fought in 2017, with their draw overturned to a No Contest.
Round one
Both men stand orthodox. Price takes the centre of the ring. Morono stays mobile and just misses with a cross.
Price trips him and rushes into his guard. Morono is working on an Omoplata, having trapped one arm...
Price scrambles and eventually gets free, and they stand. Price staggers Morono with an uppercut by the fence!
A fun striking exchange ensues, with Morono attempting a spinning back kick and spinning back elbow (neither lands).
Round two
Morono lands a clean overhand, but there’s not a ton on it. Price comes forward with a few body hooks.
Morono continues to land. Again, there’s not much power, but the accuracy is there.
Morono wings a few shots, missing all of them (so much for the accuracy), and he jumps a guillotine in defence against a takedown.
As the grappling exchange continues, the guillotine slips, and Morono also struggles to finish an armbar. The welterweights eventually stand against the fence.
UFC 302 LIVE: Randy Brown vs Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos
Round three
Low kicks from both men early in this final round. Now Dos Santos complains of another eye poke, and we have a brief pause again.
So, the new gloves aren’t solving the issue they’re supposed to solve!
OH! Another well-timed knee by Brown! It seems to have cut Dos Santos badly around his left eye.
Dos Santos shoots for a takedown to buy time to recover, but he’ll have to settle for holding Brown on the fence.
Sometime later, Dos Santos secures a trip and takes the back – with time running out! He goes for a rear naked choke, but Brown defends until the buzzer.
Randy Brown def. Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
UFC to debut new gloves designed to minimise eye pokes
The new design will be on show at UFC 302 in New Jersey on Saturday
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