Arman Tsarukyan isn’t overlooking Dustin Poirier. Not by a long shot. In the high-stakes world of UFC 302, he’s got his eye on the prize. But hey, let’s not forget about Islam Makhachev. The man’s a force of nature.
So, Poirier’s stepping into the octagon against Makhachev. It’s all going down at the Prudential Center, smack dab in Newark, New Jersey. Mark your calendars for June 1. Last time Poirier tried for gold, Khabib Nurmagomedov stopped him dead in his tracks. That was back at UFC 242 in 2019. Given that Makhachev and Khabib share more than a few tricks, odds aren’t exactly in Poirier’s favor.
But here’s the kicker. Makhachev’s got this striking game that’s cleaner than a whistle. Even Usman Nurmagomedov, the Bellator MMA champ, says so. Yet, Tsarukyan’s betting that standing toe-to-toe with Poirier is playing with fire. Makhachev’s plan? Likely to push, take down, and aim for submission. But if that fails, and it turns into a boxing match, Poirier’s got the upper hand. His punch? Lightning-fast.
Tsarukyan spilled the beans to the New York Post Sports. He’s kinda leaning towards Makhachev as the favorite. But don’t count out a Poirier knockout. It’s more than just a possibility.
Here’s a bit of backstory. Tsarukyan clinched a title shot by edging out Charles Oliveira at UFC 300. Yet, he passed it up. Why? Makhachev was itching for a summer showdown, and Tsarukyan wanted more prep time. Especially since Makhachev handed him a loss in his UFC debut back in 2019. Tsarukyan’s game for a rematch, but only with a full camp behind him. Time to train, strategize, and maybe, just maybe, turn the tables.