UFC: Islam Makhachev vs Dustin Poirier, UFC 302 Main Event Betting Preview

The number one pound-for-pound ranked fighter in the UFC will be in action at UFC 302. He will defend his title against one of the biggest names in the sport. For the champ, this is an opportunity to remind the other contenders in the division why he is the champ. For the challenger, this could be his last shot at a championship in the UFC. This fight will have a huge impact on the legacies of both fighters.

Fight details

Islam Makhachev will defend his UFC lightweight championship against Dustin Poirier at UFC 302 in New Jersey on June 1 in the main event. Makhachev has a 25-1 professional MMA record and is the number one ranked fighter in the entire UFC. Poirier has a 30-8 professional MMA record and is the UFC’s number four ranked lightweight. Makhachev is the betting favourite in this fight by a huge margin on the UFC betting sites. Makhachev has -600 odds to win the fight on BetMGM. Poirier is a big underdog heading into this fight. Poirier has +425 odds to win the fight.

BetMGM has a few other betting markets for this fight. Will the fight go the distance? The odds are +300 for yes and -500 for no. Will one of the fighters win in 60 seconds? For Makhachev, you can bet yes at +950. For Poirier, you can bet yes at +4000. Or bet on either fighter to win within 60 seconds at +800. Bettors on BetMGM can also bet on method of victory, Poirier by submission at +2000 for example, and more.

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Islam Makhachev

After defeating former featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski twice for the lightweight title in his last two fights, Makhachev will attempt to defend his title against a ranked lightweight contender for the first time. Makhachev’s last victory was a quick KO/TKO victory over Volkanovski. Makhachev landed a hard head kick before finishing Volkanovski with punches on the ground. He has been dominant over the last few years, winning fights against some of the best fighters in the UFC and lightweight division by KO/TKO and submission.

Makhachev has shown strong wrestling, the ability to finish fights with submissions, and power. Everything seems to be going Makhachev’s way for this fight. He is the younger fighter, going up against a fighter who was recently knocked out and is considering retirement, and hasn’t fought since October of 2023. Poirier’s last fight was at UFC 299 in March. One of the biggest concerns in this fight, however, if you are considering betting on Makhachev is Poirier’s ability to finish fights. With knockout power and some submission victories under his belt in the UFC, Poirier is dangerous and has the ability to finish elite fighters, especially if his opponent has a bad night.

Dustin “The Diamond” Poirier

This could be the last time Dustin Poirier steps into the octagon. Poirier spoke about his possible retirement with CBS Sports. "I'm not going to climb the ladder again. I've been doing this a long time. It's a very selfish sport. I'm ready to be a father and be a husband and be home and be into a routine. I wouldn't say I can't do it again. I can do it again. It's just ... this is it for me,” Poirier said. Win or lose, Poirier is seriously considering retirement. "I'm not sure, man. This could be the last one." He is a huge underdog, but a win here would cement his legacy as one of the greatest lightweights of the past decade, and possibly of all time.

Poirier is one of the best finishers in the division. He should always have at least a puncher’s chance when he steps into the octagon. In his last fight against Benoit Saint Denis, Poirier showed that he still has one punch knockout power. With retirement on his mind and a ton of UFC fights throughout his career, this should be one of the toughest fights of Poirier’s career. But here is another perspective. What if his experience, being the underdog, and the possibility that this is his final fight brings out the best in Poirier.

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