Islam Makhachev admits mistakes to Dustin Poirier: ‘I know what I did wrong’

Islam Makhachev knows he wasn’t at his best against Dustin Poirier, but he still loves this fight.

Last June, Makhachev defended his lightweight title for the third time when he faced former interim champion Dustin Poirier in the main event of UFC 302. Makhachev was overwhelmingly favored to win, but it ended up being one of the most difficult of his career, as Poirier defended takedowns and caused a nasty gash on Makhachev’s forehead. In the end, Makhachev won by defeating Poirier with a Brabo choke in the fifth round, but the sport’s best pound-for-pound fighter was pushed to his limits. Even though he says it wasn’t his best performance, Makhachev still really likes this fight.

“The last time I fought with Poirier, he prepared very well for this fight,” Makhachev told Demetrious Johnson. “He did good homework, I think. He defended my wrestling, defended my – I made a lot of mistakes. I made a kimura and when I closed it I think it’s done but I made a mistake a few times.

“And he gave me (big cut). But looking at the highlights, I like this fight. … If you ask me what fight I want to see again, I’ll say with Poirier. I watch this fight often and I enjoy it. I know what I did wrong, what I did right, what I need to change.”

Makhachev’s victory tied him with BJ Penn, Frankie Edgar, Benson Henderson and Khabib Nurmagomedov for the most title defenses by a UFC lightweight champion. Now Makhachev has the opportunity to set a new record when he defends his title against Arman Tsarukyan in the main event of UFC 311 later this month. The two previously met in Tsarukyan’s UFC debut in 2019, but even though he has already beaten him, Makhachev isn’t overlooking the challenge that Tsarukyan brings.

“The first time I fought him, to be honest, I might have underestimated him,” Makhachev said. “… They were looking for an opponent. A month before they call me, we will sign this guy, he has a good record, he will be your next opponent. In my head I was thinking, ‘Who’s going to come from (outside) the UFC and give me some problems?’ I haven’t seen his fights.

“He came and we had a very good fight. I won all three rounds, but at the moment he has improved a lot. He has more experience in the UFC, a lot of fights in the UFC, but if you ask me, I’m (honest). I see his style, I see his skills. I don’t see anything that surprises me. He can wrestle well, I have the same, I have better than him. He’s striking, I have it better than him. He has grappling, I know my grappling is better. But this time it won’t be an easy game. He’s No. 1 right now. He’s a guy who makes me work hard because he’s a real competitor.”

UFC 311 takes place on January 18th at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California.