UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev will make his next title defence against Dustin Poirier at UFC 302 later this year.
Dana White announced following Saturday’s UFC 300 event the next 155-pound championship bout will headline the June 1 event in Newark, N.J.
Makhachev has been champion since October 2022 when he submitted Charles Oliveira at UFC 280. The 32-year-old has defended the belt twice, both times against former featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski who twice attempted to become a two-weight champion. Makhachev won the first fight at UFC 284 via decision and he knocked Volkanovski out in the rematch at UFC 294 five months ago to extend his current winning streak to 13.
This will be Poirier’s third attempt to win the undisputed lightweight title. He was submitted by Makhachev’s teammate Khabib Nurmagomedov in 2019 and then by Oliveira in 2021.
Poirier is coming off a memorable knockout win over Benoit Saint Denis in March at UFC 299 to position himself for another shot at the belt.
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