Islam Makhachev predicts guillotine choke will lead to Dustin Poirier's downfall at UFC 302

Islam Makhachev warns Dustin Poirier not to jump the guillotine when they fight.

Makhachev (25-1 MMA, 14-1 UFC) defends his lightweight title against Poirier (30-8 MMA, 22-7 UFC) in the UFC 302 headliner June 1 at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.

Going against his corner’s advice, Poirier attempted multiple guillotine chokes to fend off Benoit Saint Denis’ grappling in their UFC 299 co-main event in March. But after failing to secure it, he resorted to his boxing, which he used to spark the Frenchman in Round 2.

Poirier laughed when he said he has no plans of abandoning his desire to secure his first win by guillotine choke against Makhachev. However, the champion says Poirier’s attempt will lead to the fight-ending sequence.

“We will start and I will try to take him down,” Makhachev told Yahoo Sports. “He will try to get me in a guillotine (choke). I will defend the guillotine. I will give him a couple punches. He will give his back, then I will finish.”

Poirier cinched in what looked like a deep guillotine choke on Makhachev’s mentor Khabib Nurmagomedov in their title fight at UFC 242, but Nurmagomedov popped out of it. Poirier was eventually submitted in Round 3.

“One day maybe, I hope (Poirier) will finish his guillotine on someone,” Makhachev said. “But it’s not going to be me.”

In the meantime, “The Diamond” is having some fun with it, to the point of creating his own merchandise.

Gilly Goose Gang merch up nowhttps://t.co/qzjhtxNLlr pic.twitter.com/DKto6C3S0K

— The Diamond (@DustinPoirier) May 3, 2024

For more on the cards, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 302.