Islam Makhachev addresses heated face-off with Dustin Poirier before UFC 302, says they buried the hatchet afterward: "We all fixed it"
Islam Makhachev and Dustin Poirier are no longer at each other's throats, at least according to the UFC lightweight champion, who defends his 155-pound strap against Poirier in the UFC 302 main event. The pair traded some light verbal jabs at the pre-fight press conference before a sudden escalation in their face-off.
When Jon Anik brought both men together on stage for the promotional face-off at the end of the press conference, Poirier vowed to knock Makhachev unconscious come fight, calling him a "motherf***er." Makhachev took great offense to what 'The Diamond' had said and warned him against speaking to him in such a manner.
Now, however, Makhachev claims that he and his UFC 302 opponents have resolved whatever issues they had, saying as much to ESPN MMA following the weigh-ins.
"In the press conference, he say some bad words, but today after the official weigh-ins, we all fixed it. He say, 'I don't mean what I say,' but it's okay, we all fix it this morning. I respect him, he's a great fighter. He's a legend. He did a lot of job for this sport, but tomorrow night I have to finish him."
Check out Islam Makhachev's comments about patching things up with Dustin Poirier:
While there is no longer enmity between the pair, there is still a competitive edge to their bout, with Makhachev scoffing at any suggestion that Poirier could beat him. Meanwhile, Poirier warned the Dagestani phenom against underestimating him ahead of their clash.
Both men are eager to prove each other wrong, with Poirier determined to finally make good on his third crack at undisputed UFC gold. Makhachev, in contrast, is eager to equal the all-time lightweight title defense record held by his mentor Khabib Nurmagomedov, the legendary B.J. Penn, and Benson Henderson.
Why was Islam Makhachev so upset with Dustin Poirier?
Islam Makhachev took offense to Dustin Poirier calling him a "motherf***er" at their face-off. However, in a meeting following their weight-in, which was captured by the UFC on their 'Embedded' miniseries on YouTube, it appears that it was all down to the word having different connotations in Dagestan.
"I am happy, I understand what he mean. Because it's not good in our country. Maybe in U.S. it's good, but our country it's not good."
Check out Islam Makhachev's thoughts on the matter below (4:27):
'The Diamond' explained his reasoning, telling Ali Abdelaziz that he would never disrespect Makhachev's family, indicating that the champion's reaction was due to him believing that the word meant that Poirier was insulting his mother.