Islam Makhachev has long been living in the shadow of Khabib Nurmagomedov, but after Saturday's UFC 302 card in Newark, he may have actually surpassed his long-time friend and mentor.
Makhachev, the UFC lightweight champion and the promotion's No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter, got back to action in the card's main event. The Dagestani juggernaut was defending his belt against beloved action fighter Dustin Poirier, and despite being a gargantuan betting favorite heading into the fight, had to dig deep to finish things with a D'arce choke in the final round.
Makhachev is known for his wrestling, and he brandished that weapon early, blasting Poirier to the mat inside the first minute of the fight.