Islam Makhachev sure made a statement in his first UFC championship fight.
Makhachev not only defeated a streaking and dangerous Charles Oliveira to win the UFC lightweight title, but submitted the jiu-jitsu standout. Makhachev dominated Oliveira and then submitted him in the second round of their main event bout at UFC 280 back in October 2022.
You can watch Makhachev’s impressive win in the video above.
Makhachev (25-1 MMA, 14-1 UFC) returns to the octagon to defend his lightweight title against veteran Dustin Poirier (30-8 MMA, 22-7 UFC) in the main event of UFC 302. The card goes down on June 1 at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.
For more on the cards, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 302.