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UFC 302 full results: Islam Makhachev retains belt with 5th-round submission of Dustin Poirier

Related Topics: Dustin Poirier, Islam Makhachev

In perhaps the most dangerous bout of his reign as UFC lightweight champion, Islam Makhachev lived up to his title as the promotion's top pound-for-pound fighter.

The Russian defeated UFC veteran Dustin Poirier with a fifth-round submission to defend his belt in a fight that seemed to be trending against him in the later rounds. He spent much of the fight in control on the ground, but was stuffed on several takedown events and was sporting a gnarly forehead cut going into the fifth.

The whole effort looked like it would be a lot easier in the first round, when Makhachev clocked Poirier, took him down and took his back, spending the next four minutes looking for a choke or arm triangle.