Islam Makhachev has responded to Dustin Poirier‘s claim of being more accomplished in mixed martial arts by stating that if Poirier could beat anybody, he would be the one holding the championship belt.
Islam Makhachev? Yeah, he’s open to a brawl with Dustin Poirier. But let’s get one thing straight. Poirier, aka “The Diamond,” can’t just spout off any old thing.
Poirier recently had a chat with the press. He mentioned the lightweight champ – Makhachev. Said he’s the only one he’s got his eye on right now. Poirier’s selling himself as the next contender, right? He’s like, “I’ve done more in the MMA than he has. Been around the block a few times. I was in the game before it was the in-thing. And guess what? I’m still here. Still fighting at the top. I can take on anyone in the world. And I hope he’s next.”
Makhachev wasn’t about to let that slide. He hit back on Twitter. “Dustin,” he wrote, “if you could beat anyone, you’d be the one with this belt, not me.”
Makhachev’s record? It’s 25-1. Not many can claim they’ve bested him. His only defeat? A knockout by Adriano Martins back in October 2015. He took down Charles Oliveira to snatch the lightweight title at UFC 280. And he’s defended it twice since then, with back-to-back wins over Alexander Volkanovski, the former featherweight king.
But let’s not forget about Poirier. He’s got his own set of bragging rights. Hailing from Louisiana, he’s taken down top contenders in both featherweight and lightweight categories. He won the interim lightweight title in April 2019. He’s twice vied for the undisputed championship at 155 pounds. His UFC record? It’s 22-7 (1 no-contest). He’s got a bunch of Fight of the Night awards and some epic finishes to his name.
And he’s not done yet. He recently added another feather to his cap with a second-round knockout of Benoit Saint Denis at UFC 299. This could line him up for a showdown with Makhachev this summer.