UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev, the promotion's consensus top pound-for-pound fighter, is defending his belt at UFC 302 against fan favorite Dustin Poirier.
Poirier will be hoping third time's the charm. He has previously fought for the belt twice, losing by submission on rear-naked chokes against Khabib Nurmagomedov in 2019 and Charles Oliveira in 2021. Since his most recent title shot, he's defeated Michael Chandler, lost to Justin Gaethje in a "BMF" fight and upset rising star Benoît Saint Denis to remain in the division's elite ranks.
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Makhachev has so far shown himself to be on another level, though his only two title defenses have come against Alexander Volkanovski.