Conor McGregor sees Dustin Poirier catching Islam Makhachev at UFC 302.
Light-weight champion Makhachev (25-1 MMA, 14-1 UFC) will look to notch his third consecutive title protection when he meets Poirier (30-8 MMA, 22-7 UFC) within the June 1 headliner at Prudential Middle in Newark, N.J. (pay-per-view, ESPN2, ESPN+).
McGregor (22-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC) and Poirier have fought thrice earlier than, with McGregor successful the primary assembly by TKO in September 2014, Poirier avenging the loss with a knockout of his personal within the rematch in January 2021, and their trilogy bout ending in physician’s stoppage TKO after McGregor broke his leg on the finish of Spherical 1 in July 2021.
Makhachev’s lone profession loss got here by knockout by the hands of Adriano Martins in simply his second octagon look at UFC 192 in October 2015, and McGregor envisions an identical destiny for him towards “The Diamond.”
“I believe Dustin does him, knocks him out,” McGregor stated on a stay stream with Duelbits (h/t Championship Rounds on X). “I believe the issues that Makhachev does incorrect, the issues he’s not good at, he fumbles over his toes often early on and falls into photographs. He’s been knocked out by a again examine hook from a southpaw earlier than contained in the UFC and that’s one in every of Dustin’s greatest photographs. If Dustin’s ever going to do it, it’ll be this time.
“Clearly Dustin does his issues unhealthy additionally that feed into Makhachev’s strengths. So, it’s going to be an excellent combat to see which one exhibits up however it’s all to play for. There isn’t any clear favourite in it. In case you take a look at Dustin’s final combat, he was getting manhandled by Benoit Saint Denis and he stayed with it, after which received again to his toes, stayed with it and landed a shot. That’s nice expertise to be going into this bout. If there’s ever an opportunity for him to get it achieved, this might be it.”
Up 2-1 in his collection with McGregor, Poirier dominated out a fourth combat with “The Infamous.” Makhachev then again, thinks he’d be foolish to not take a combat with McGregor.
McGregor, who returns in a welterweight bout towards Michael Chandler (23-8 MMA, 2-3 UFC) at UFC 303 June 29 in Las Vegas (pay-per-view, ESPN, ESPN+), says he has no horse within the race since each fights curiosity him.
“Who do I want for, who would I wish to see (win)? , both or,” McGregor stated. “I’ve historical past with each, and let’s see the way it goes.”
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