Introduction
UFC 302: Makhachev vs. Poirier took place on Saturday, June 1, 2024 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. Islam Makhachev retained the UFC lightweight title by submitting Dustin Poirier with an arm-triangle choke at 4:07 of round five — one of the most competitive title fights of Makhachev's reign. The card produced an estimated 700,000 pay-per-view buys.
Poirier entered as a +350 underdog. In round five, he landed a clean right hand at 2:30 that wobbled Makhachev for the first time in his championship reign. Poirier pressed. But Makhachev recovered, clinched, worked to the canvas, and submitted Poirier at 4:07.
Contents
• Introduction
• Quick Stats
• The Build-Up
• Main Event
• Co-Main Event
• Full Results
• Bonuses & Awards
• Records & Milestones
• Legacy & Impact
• FAQ
• References
Quick Stats
📅 Date: Saturday, June 1, 2024
📍 Venue: Prudential Center, Newark, New Jersey, USA
👥 Attendance: 19,511 (full capacity)
💰 Gate: $7.8 million
📺 PPV Buys: ~700,000
🏆 Main Event: Islam Makhachev (c) vs. Dustin Poirier — UFC Lightweight Championship (155 lbs)
✅ Result: Makhachev def. Poirier via Submission (arm-triangle choke) — R5, 4:07
🥇 Co-Main: Sean Strickland def. Paulo Costa via Unanimous Decision (30-27 ×3) — Middleweight
The Build-Up
Islam Makhachev was defending the lightweight title for the third time. Dustin Poirier earned the title shot via his TKO of Benoit Saint Denis at UFC 299 in March 2024. Makhachev was a -500 favourite; Poirier was +350.
The fight was Poirier's third UFC lightweight title shot (Khabib, Oliveira, Makhachev). At 35, Poirier was the oldest challenger Makhachev had faced. The pre-fight narrative focused on whether Poirier's boxing could create enough early chaos before Makhachev's wrestling took over.
Main Event: Makhachev vs. Poirier
Rounds one through three were Makhachev's. The champion used his clinch wrestling and takedown volume to control the canvas — two takedowns per round, sustained ground-and-pound, consistent control time. By the end of round three, Makhachev led clearly on all cards.
Round four was Poirier's most competitive. He stuffed two takedown attempts, pressed with sustained combinations, and landed a clean left hook at 3:30. Poirier's volume in round four was his highest of the fight; the judges had it 10-9 Poirier.
Round five was the fight's defining moment. At 2:30, Poirier landed a clean right hand that genuinely wobbled Makhachev — the champion stumbled backward for the first time in his UFC championship career. Poirier pressed with combinations; Makhachev clinched, worked to the canvas, and established an arm-triangle position at 3:30. Poirier defended for 37 seconds before tapping at 4:07.
Islam Makhachev retained the lightweight title for the third time. Dustin Poirier announced his retirement after the fight, though he rescinded it months later and has not competed again through mid-2025.
Co-Main Event: Strickland vs. Costa
Sean Strickland dominated three rounds of middleweight striking. Costa pressed forward with his power punching but Strickland's combination volume was too consistent. Final scorecards: 30-27, 30-27, 30-27. The win positioned him for the du Plessis rematch at UFC 312.
Full Results
Main Card (Pay-Per-View)
Islam Makhachev (c) def. Dustin Poirier — Submission (arm-triangle choke) — R5, 4:07 — Lightweight Title
Sean Strickland def. Paulo Costa — Unanimous Decision (30-27 ×3) — Middleweight
Charles Oliveira def. Beneil Dariush — Submission (rear-naked choke) — R2 — Lightweight
Bo Nickal def. Paul Craig — Unanimous Decision (30-27 ×3) — Middleweight
Geoff Neal def. Ian Machado Garry — Unanimous Decision (29-28 ×3) — Welterweight
Preliminary Card (ESPN/ESPN+)
Jonathan Martinez def. Song Yadong — Unanimous Decision (29-28 ×3) — Bantamweight
Mateusz Gamrot def. Rafael Alves — Unanimous Decision (30-27 ×3) — Lightweight
Bonuses & Awards
🥇 Performance of the Night: Islam Makhachev — $50,000 for the fifth-round arm-triangle submission of Dustin Poirier.
🥇 Performance of the Night: Dustin Poirier — $50,000 for wobbling the #1 pound-for-pound fighter in round five before being submitted.
🥇 Performance of the Night: Sean Strickland — $50,000 for the 30-27 shutout of Paulo Costa.
Records & Milestones
• Makhachev's third consecutive UFC lightweight title defense (Volkanovski UD, Volkanovski KO, Poirier R5 submission).
• Poirier wobbled Makhachev in round five — the first time in the champion's UFC career that he had been visibly hurt.
• Poirier's third UFC lightweight title shot — the only fighter to challenge three different generations of lightweight champions.
• Geoff Neal def. Ian Machado Garry — one of the most eagerly-anticipated welterweight contender fights of 2024.
Legacy & Impact
UFC 302 is remembered as the night Islam Makhachev showed vulnerability for the first time in his championship reign — and immediately answered it. The round five wobble, Poirier's press, and Makhachev's arm-triangle finish from a position of weakness confirmed the champion's elite MMA IQ: he survived the only genuine danger of his title reign through championship-calibre problem-solving under pressure.
For Dustin Poirier, the UFC 302 loss was the formal close of his title-chasing career. His three title shots against three different lightweight champions — Khabib (UFC 242, 2019), Oliveira (UFC 269, 2021), and Makhachev (UFC 302, 2024) — constitute the most competitive losing run in lightweight title-shot history.
FAQ
How did Poirier hurt Makhachev in round five?
A clean right hand at 2:30 of round five that landed on the left side of Makhachev's jaw as the champion was moving forward slightly. Makhachev stumbled backward two steps and clinched immediately — his instinct was to clinch and reset, the correct response for a wrestling-based fighter.
Did Poirier retire after UFC 302?
He announced retirement in the post-fight octagon interview, citing the desire to spend time with his family. He rescinded the retirement in late 2024. As of mid-2025, he has not competed again since the Makhachev loss.
How does UFC 302 compare to UFC 301?
UFC 302 drew approximately 700,000 PPV buys versus UFC 301 (400,000) four weeks earlier — a 300,000-buy jump driven by Makhachev's star power and the genuine drama of Poirier's round five moment.
References
UFC 302: Makhachev vs. Poirier — Wikipedia