Islam Makhachev calls Dustin Poirier fight his most enjoyable

Islam Makhachev has spent much of his UFC run delivering controlled, often one-sided performances, but when asked which fight he enjoys replaying the most, he did not point to one of his most lopsided wins. Instead, he highlighted his lightweight title defense against Dustin Poirier at UFC 302 in Newark, saying it remains the most enjoyable outing of his career.

Makhachev’s explanation was straightforward. According to the interview reposted by RedCorner MMA, “We fought as if it was a street fight,” and he added that he “managed to finish him” and truly enjoyed the bout. Those remarks frame the fight less as a technical checkbox and more as a competitive moment where the discomfort and momentum of the contest were part of what made it stick.

The matchup delivered on that theme. UFC 302 took place on June 1, 2024, at the Prudential Center in Newark, and the main event was scheduled for five rounds for the lightweight title. Makhachev defeated Poirier by submission via D’Arce choke at 2:42 of the fifth round, per the New Jersey State Athletic Control Board’s official bout record. Combat Press also lists the finish as a D’Arce choke in Round 5, 2:42, aligning with the commission documentation.

While the official record uses the term “D’Arce choke,” accounts of the finish have occasionally used variations like “brabo” to describe the same broad family of chokes. In practice, the important point is that the finish came late, after Poirier had already dragged the fight into the championship rounds and tested Makhachev’s ability to keep dealing with threats rather than shutting the contest down early.

Sherdog’s recounting of Makhachev’s remarks emphasized why he rates it above other title moments: he described Poirier as presenting a particularly difficult challenge, including strong takedown defense, and he credited himself for holding up on the feet before landing the late submission. Sherdog also notes that Poirier made his third and final UFC lightweight title bid in that fight. In other words, the bout carried emotional and career weight for both men, which helps explain why Makhachev would rewatch it more than even his biggest “headline” accomplishments.

That distinction matters for how champions talk about their own legacies. Makhachev’s comments suggest that, for him, the enjoyment is tied to the type of resistance he faced and the fact that the fight stayed messy and competitive for stretches, not just the belt-winning outcome. It is an athlete’s version of “best moment,” where the story of the contest and the difficulty of the opponent are inseparable from the result.

Going forward, fans who look back at Makhachev’s title run may find themselves returning to UFC 302 as a reference point for how he can absorb pressure and still turn a late scramble into a finish. If he continues to discuss opponents in terms of how they complicate his plan, the Poirier fight likely will remain a template for what he values: durability, physical engagement, and the ability to close when the fight turns.

Next time Makhachev sits down for an interview, the more revealing question may not be who he fights, but what specific skills he credits when he describes his most satisfying nights. Based on this “street fight” framing and the late D’Arce finish at 2:42 of Round 5, that satisfaction appears tied to timing, composure, and conversion from defense into a decisive choke.