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Ahead of his UFC 302 showdown with Dustin Poirier, Islam Makhachev seemed to be suffering from staph infection.

Fans were quick to spot a wound on the Russian’s leg that looked like staph infection after media day pictures were released. After days of speculation, the lightweight champion has confirmed those rumors.

While speaking with UFC Eurasia following his title defense, Islam Makhachev revealed that the speculation was true. 

“Yes I had some [problems],” Makhachev admitted. “I had a staph infection. It was bothering me for a week or so when we arrived here in the US.”

“It did distract me a little so I didn’t train. I had some rest to make sure it wouldn’t get worse.”

“I saw the doctors. I don’t think it really affected me, I just had to take some time off.”

When asked whether he had any intentions of rescheduling the fight to heal from the infection, Makhachev simply stated that it was never an option.

“Not at all. After coming such a long way, we didn’t even think about pulling out, unless the doctor would [have forced me to].”

Islam Makhachev has solidified his spot as the #1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world. Even with staph infection, Makhachev was able to not only beat, but finish one of the greatest fighters to ever steph into the octagon.

Related: Islam Makhachev submits Dustin Poirier in UFC 302 main event

Dustin Poirier has shared the cage with the best of the best and always puts on a show for fans. Despite giving the champion a tough fight, it wasn’t enough to get the job done.

Makhachev showcased his elite striking and grappling all the way up until he secured the D’arce choke submission midway through the final round. While he had a good showing, the Dagestani did seem to fatigue quicker, meaning the staph infection possibly played a role in the bout.

Check out what Islam Makhachev had to say about his staph infection below.

'Islam Makhachev confirms staph infection rumors, but says he wouldn't have considered pulling out unless forced to by doctors. [UFCEurasia/IG] pic.twitter.com/P7RDP3wMOz

— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) June 2, 2024

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Former middleweight title challenger Paulo Costa lost his second fight in a row on Saturday to former champion Sean Strickland in the UFC 302 co-main event.  It was his second loss in a row and his fourth defeat in his last five fights.  

“Borrachinha” released a video statement following the loss and vowed to return to the headhunting style that made him a contender.  

“I just came to say a few words. Yeah, Sean won. I didn’t perform very well. I think he didn’t either, but at least he did enough to win, right? This is two losses in a row in three fights, three former champs: Luke Rockhold, [Robert] Whittaker, and Sean.  I won one and lost two,” Costa said in the video.  

“But let me tell you something, I agree with Dana [White] and Joe Rogan, and I will do that.  I will bring back the Paulo to take heads off, to finish the fight. I’m not that kind of counter, sorry, I’m not that kind of counter guy. I do better [when I] move forward and try to finish and look for heads. Sean is so awkward, so different kind of fighter to fight against, it’s difficult. He was teeping me, keeping me, pushing me, keep pushing me, keep me far from him because he knows the power that I have. And I have the power, so I need to deliver that, and I will do that. I won’t give a f**k. F**k points or conserving energy or f**k anything about that,” Costa continued.  

“I will come to take heads off. And this is who I am.  This is the kind of fighter I am, and the fighter who people expect that I perform [as], so I will do that. F**k points, I’ve had enough of this. Even the first round that I was 100-percent sure that I won, some people thought I lost. F**k them. I will come to take heads off. That’s it, who I am.”

I will give a fuck for points, it’s not my business pic.twitter.com/iqYQq3oXLj

— Paulo Costa ( Borrachinha ) (@BorrachinhaMMA) June 2, 2024

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Dublin, Ierland was scheduled to host a press conference on Monday promoting the upcoming UFC 303 event headlined by Dublin’s own Conor McGregor.  

McGregor is expected to return to the octagon on June 29 in the UFC 303 main event against Michael Chandler.  The two coached opposite each other on The Ultimate Fighter 31 last year.  McGregor has been out of action since suffering a broken leg in his trilogy bout against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in July 2021.  

The fight promotion released a statement on Sunday abruptly postponing the press conference ‘until further notice.’  No reason was given for the cancelation.  

“The #UFC303 press conference scheduled for Monday June 3rd in Dublin, Ireland at 3Arena has been postponed until further notice. We sincerely apologize to all the fans who were planning to attend. When we have further information on a new date and time, we will share it immediately. – Thank you,” the statement read.  

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UFC 303 takes place on June 29 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.  The event set a New UFC live-gate record with over $ 20 million in ticket sales.  The Dublin press conference was a free event but tickets were issued.  As expected the tickets were claimed within minutes.  

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The top pound-for-pound fighter in the world, lightweight champion Islam Makhachev, headlined Saturday’s UFC 302 fight card against former interim titleholder Dustin Poirier.  

Makhachev entered his third title defense at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey riding a 13-fight winning streak. Poirier was coming off a knockout win over Benoit Saint Denis and planned to do the same to Makhachev.  Leading up to his third title shot, Poirier stated that it could be his last octagon appearance.   

Poirier missed with a calf kick to start the fight.  Makhachev opened with a front kick that came up short.  He landed a combination and quickly changed levels and put Poirier on his back.  Makhachev may have hurt Poirier with a punch before the takedown.  Makhachev worked in Poirier’s half guard.  Makhachev isolated an arm and applied a kimura.  Poirier rolled to escape the submission attempt and Makhachev took his back.  

At the midway mark of the opening round, Makhachev applied a body triangle.  Poirier fought the hands of Makhachev.  Poirier survived the bad position but lost the round.  

Poirier landed a leg kick to start the second round.  Makhachev quickly looked to get the fight to the ground.  Poirier fought of the attempt.  They briefly clinched and Makhachev delivered a knee to the body before separating.  Makhachev looked for a takedown and Poirier fended it off again.  Makhachev connected with a left hand.  Makhachev landed a right hand.  Poirier responded with a jab.  

Makhachev pressed forward and looked to get Poirier to the ground along the fence.  Poirier remained standing and turned Makhachev.  He delivered a left hook to the body inside the clinch.  Poirier pushed Makhachev away.  Poirier landed a right hand.  Makhachev clinched and Poirier landed to the body and to the head.  They exchanged punches and Makhachev worked for a takedown.  He got it will ten seconds remaining.  The round ended with Makhachev on top.  MMAWeekly scored the round 10-9 for Poirier.  

The pace was slow to start the third.  Makhachev landed a knee inside the clinch.  Makhachev worked to get the fight to the ground.  Makhachev secured the takedown and took Poirier’s back.  Makhachev applied a body triangle.  With three minutes left on the clock, Makhachev had Poirier’s back and working to set up a rear-naked choke.  Makhachev mounted Poirier.  Poirier tried to escape out the back but Makhachev had an arm.  Poirier gets free and back to his feet.  Poirier moved forward and landed a jab.  Makhachev responded with a combination.  Poirier answered with a straight right.  

Poirier started talking to Makhachev.  Poirier’s face is wearing some damage.  Poirier landed his jab.  They exchanged right hands at the bell.  MMAWeekly scored the round 10-9 for Makhachev.  

 Poirier moved forward in the fourth.  Makhachev landed his jab.  Poirier landed to the body and they exchanged right hands.  Poirier landed his jab and Makhachev responded with a right hand.  Makhachev looked for a takedown but Poirier stuffed the attempt.  Makhachev connected with two right hands.  He landed a left hand and changed levels.  Poirier’s back was again the cage and Makhachev was working to tied up a leg.  Poirier stayed on his feet but may have hurt his leg.  Makhachev drug Poirier to his knees with two minutes left in the round.  Poirier switched the posting and unloaded body shots.  They separated and Makhachev landed an uppercut.  

Both of their faces were bloodied.  Poirier ripped to the body with a combination.  Makhachev quickly looked for a takedown.  Makhachev was cut on his forehead caused by an elbow by Poirier.  It was a close round.  MMAWeekly scored the round 10-9 for Makhachev.  

Both corners told their fighters to leave it all in the cage in the final round.  Poirier landed his j ab to start the round.  Makhachev countered with a right hand.  Poirier connected with a strong calf kick.  Makhachev looked for takedown but Poirier defended the attempt.  They clinched and Poirier went to the body with a right hand and pushed Makhachev away.  Poirier continued to talk to the champion.  Poirier connected with a big left hand.  Makhachev worked to get the fight to the ground.  He applied a guillotine and got top position.  Makhachev applied a d’arce choke.  Poirier was forced to tap out.  Makhachev retained the lightweight title in what will surely earn Fight of the Night honors.  

The official time of the stoppage was 2:42 of the fifth round.     

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Following Saturday’s UFC 302 event at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, UFC officials announced the recipients of the performance-based bonuses.  

Lightweight champion Islam Makhachev double dipped, earning bonuses for ‘Fight of the Night,’ and a ‘Performance of the Night’ bonus for his fifth-round submission win over Dustin Poirier. 

Fight Of The Night: Islam Makhackev vs Dustin Poirier

As we get a little distance from this fight, the magnitude of it will start to sink in a little more. Are we in the midst of the greatest lightweight championship run of all time? Did we just watch the great Dustin Poirier fight for the last time?

It’s too much to contemplate on this beautiful evening in Newark, so we’ll just have to bask in the glow of an outstanding title fight that exemplified—over and over—why these two warriors will own a huge percentage of the UFC’s most memorable moments of this generation.

Performance Of The Night: Islam Makhachev

That’s three straight title defenses and 14 straight wins overall for the great Islam Makhachev, who is now poised to become the most dominant lightweight champion in the history of the sport. Khabib Nurmagomedov beamed proudly from the champ’s corner as he watched his star pupil survive a game Dustin Poirier, and once again prove that Makhachev is a puzzle that can never quite be solved. The champ has been considering a run in the welterweight ranks, and watching him tonight, it’s hard to imagine who could stop him.

Performance Of The Night: Kevin Holland

He called himself the UFC’s “best gatekeeper” in his post-win speech, but Kevin Holland is far more than that. A pure menace across both the welterweight and (like tonight) middleweight divisions, tonight he showed off his largely unsung submission skills, locking Michal Oleksiejczuk into a positively gruesome first round armbar to the sheer delight of the Prudential Center crowd.

Attendance: 117,834 (Sold Out)

Gate: $ 7,255,040 (Highest grossing event in Prudential Center history)

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Following the UFC 302 fights at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, the big winners will field questions from the media at the post-fight press conference.  

The event was headlined by a lightweight title bout between champion Islam Makhachev and former interim titleholder Dustin Poirier.  Makhachev defeated Poirier via submission in the final round.

In the co-main event, former middleweight champion Sean Strickland defeated Paulo Costa via split decision.  Following the win, “Tarzan” called for a title shot.

UFC 302 Post-Fight Press Conference 

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The Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey hosts the UFC 302 pay-per-view event featuring a lightweight title bout at the top of the fight card.  Lightweight champion Islam Makhachev puts his title on the line against former interim champion Dustin Poirier in the UFC 302 main event.  

It could be Poirier’s last octagon appearance.  “The Diamond” isn’t willing to climb the ladder back to the top if he loses to the Dagestani.  

In the co-main event, former middleweight champion Sean Strickland returns for the first time since losing the championship to Dricus Du Plessis in January.  “Tarzan” takes on Brazilian brawler Paulo Costa in a fight that both need to win to stay contenders in the division. 

UFC 302 Start Times:

• Early Preliminary Card begins at 6 p.m. ET

• Preliminary Card begins at 8 p.m. ET

• Main Card begins at 10 p.m. ET

UFC 302: Makhachev vs. Poirier Results and Analytics

UFC 302: Makhachev vs. Poirier Official Results

Main Card

• Islam Makhachev  vs. Dustin Poirier 
• Paulo Costa vs. Sean Strickland 
• Kevin Holland vs. Michal Oleksiejczuk
• Alex Morono vs. Niko Price
• Randy Brown vs. Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos 

Preliminary Card

• Cesar Almeida vs. Roman Kopylov
• Jailton Almeida vs. Alexandr Romanov
• Grant Dawson vs. Joe Solecki
• Jake Matthews vs. Phil Rowe

Early Preliminary Card

• Bassil Hafez vs. Mickey Gall
• Joselyne Edwards vs. Ailin Perez
• Andre Lima vs. Mitch Raposo

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The fighters competing on Saturday’s UFC 302 pay-per-view event officially weighed in on Friday in Newark, New Jersey.  

The fight card is headlined by a lightweight title bout between champion Islam Makhachev and former interim titleholder Dustin Poirier.  Both men officially weighed in at 155 pounds.  

UFC 302 Main Event Weigh-In Video

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The UFC 302 Ceremonial Weigh-in took place on Friday in Newark, New Jersey.  The Prudential Center hosts Saturday’s event headlined by a lightweight title bout.  Champion Islam Makhachev puts his belt on the line against former interim titleholder Dustin Poirier.  

During the ceremonial weigh-in, Makhachev and Poirier came face-to-face for the last time before squaring off inside the octagon.

UFC 302 Ceremonial Weigh-In: Islam Makhachev vs. Dustin Poirier

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Newark, New Jersey hosts Saturday’s UFC 302 pay-per-view event.  The Prudential Center hosts Saturday’s event headlined by a lightweight title bout.  

Before the championship fight, former middleweight titleholder Sean Strickland and former title challenger Paulo Costa will clash in the co-main event.  

Strickland is coming off a split decision loss to Dricus Du Plessis in his last fight and needs a win to remain the top contender in the division. Costa is also coming off a loss. He was defeated by former champion Robert Whittaker in his last outing. The Brazilian has lost three of his last four fights and needs a win to stay relevant in the weight class. 

UFC 302 Ceremonial Weigh-in Video: Sean Strickland vs. Paulo Costa

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