"Is Islam Makhachev the Future of the Lightweight Division?"

In what could be considered one of the most perilous matches during his tenure as the UFC lightweight champion, Islam Makhachev proved himself worthy of his status as the promotion's premier pound-for-pound fighter.

The Russian fighter emerged victorious over UFC veteran Dustin Poirier with a fifth-round submission, successfully defending his title in a bout that appeared to be turning against him in the later stages. While Makhachev maintained control on the ground for a significant portion of the fight, he encountered resistance during several takedown attempts and bore a severe cut on his forehead heading into the fifth round.

Initially, it seemed that the entire endeavor would be much smoother in the first round. Makhachev managed to strike Poirier, take him down, and secure his back, spending the subsequent four minutes searching for a chokehold or an arm triangle submission. Poirier valiantly defended against all of these attempts and gradually found his rhythm in the second round. While it has proven to be nearly impossible to defeat Makhachev on the ground, Poirier successfully fended him off as much as necessary and landed significant strikes to maintain a relatively balanced fight.

With the crowd at the Prudential Center in Newark firmly rallying behind the American underdog, the possibility of an upset seemed quite real if Poirier had emerged victorious in the fifth round. However, Makhachev swiftly extinguished that threat with a D'Arce choke, prompting his corner to swarm him while Poirier lay on the floor, either unconscious or on the verge of it.

Makhachev once again showcased his remarkable creativity and talent, expressing his desire to challenge Leon Edwards for the UFC welterweight title in his next bout. Having successfully defended his belt three times, Makhachev's previous victories include triumphs over former featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski.

"It's my dream. I want to fight for the second belt. I want to feel that energy again, because when you defend your belt, it's not the same. I need new one," Makhachev said.

Poirier, who is 35 years old, mentioned that he was contemplating retirement, but clarified that he had not made a final decision. This marked his third attempt at the lightweight championship title, with his previous two ending in submission defeats to Khabib Nurmagomedov, who was present in Makhachev's corner during the fight, and Charles Oliveira.

"If I do fight again, what am I fighting for? Just to fight? I've done that 50 times," Poirier said. "I don't know. I've got a little girl I love, I gotta see. I think this could be it, honestly."

The complete rundown of the UFC 302 event is as follows. It proved to be an exceptional evening for those who appreciate victories achieved through decision, albeit some of them accompanied by perplexing judgments from the judges.