Dustin Poirier gave a chilly prediction for his battle in opposition to Islam Makhachev.
Poirier (30-8 MMA, 22-7 UFC) challenges light-weight champion Makhachev (25-1 MMA, 14-1 UFC) within the UFC 302 essential occasion June 1 at Prudential Middle in Newark, N.J.
Former interim champ Poirier will look to say undisputed gold for the primary time in his profession after falling brief twice. He envisions a violent end of Makhachev, whose lone profession loss got here by knockout.
“I’m going to knock him unconscious and the ref goes to be pulling me off of him,” Poirier instructed Yahoo Sports activities.
Makhachev predicted that Poirier leaping the guillotine choke – which he’s didn’t safe on quite a few events, will probably be his downfall. Poirier joked that he has to attempt at the least as soon as, however defined that it’s a submission he’s had loads of success with throughout apply.
“Crushing it dude, sure,” Poirier stated. “That’s why I’m so shocked and blown away that I’ve 50 fights and I’ve by no means completed one with a guillotine – loopy.”
Poirier’s head coach, Mike Brown, closely suggested Poirier in opposition to leaping for the guillotine choke in his most up-to-date battle in opposition to Benoit Saint Denis at UFC 299, however Poirier tried a number of instances anyway. Though he failed, he was in a position to knock out Saint Denis in Spherical 2.
“‘Don’t hand over place’: That’s the file on repeat,” Poirier stated of Brown’s recommendation. “Don’t go for it even for those who suppose it’s good, tight or you’ve got a great really feel for it. Don’t hand over place, particularly with a man like Islam you understand.
“You hand over place, you is likely to be attempting to get again to your toes for the remainder of the spherical and shedding a spherical or placing your self in deeper water and getting right into a worse, a harmful place. So we’ll see. I simply need to play it and see how I really feel in there in these positions. However I’ll in all probability bounce it.”
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