Dustin Poirier has three key skills needed to beat Islam Makhachev, says former's teammate

Dustin Poirier gets another shot at lightweight gold when he faces Islam Makhachev for the undisputed title at UFC 302 on June 1. Despite being the betting underdog, Poirier's teammate, Grant Dawson, believes ‘The Diamond’ has the tools to dethrone the champion.

Makhachev, currently the No.1 ranked pound-for-pound fighter, has dominated the lightweight division since capturing the belt in 2022. On the other hand, Poirier has a 2-2 record in his last four fights but solidified his title shot with a decisive knockout win at UFC 299.

This will be Poirier's third attempt at undisputed gold, having previously lost to Khabib Nurmagomedov, Makhachev's close friend and teammate.

Dawson, who trains alongside Poirier at American Top Team, highlighted three key attributes that give Poirier a fighting chance. Speaking to Inside Fighting, he said:

"I'm a realist, I'm not stupid, I know how good Islam is and I know what an uphill battle it is for Dustin. However, if there's a guy that can do it, it would be the guy that doesn't get tired, that has crazy power in his hands and has a ridiculously good guillotine and Dustin's got all three man. I'm not saying that Islam can't beat him but if I was going to handpick a guy to beat somebody like Islam, they would have those three things."

Check out Dawson’s comments below (16:33):

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Dustin Poirier gives prediction for UFC 302 headliner against Islam Makhachev

Dustin Poirier is aiming for a thunderous victory as he prepares to challenge Islam Makhachev for the undisputed UFC lightweight title.

‘The Diamond’ recently spoke with Yahoo Sports' Ben Fowlkes. When asked about Makhachev's prediction of submitting him, Poirier countered with a chilling prediction of his, saying:

"I'm gonna knock [Makhachev] unconscious and the ref is gonna be pulling me off of him."

Check out Dustin Poirier's prediction below:

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