Islam Makhachev vs. Dustin Poirier: Odds and what to know ahead of UFC 302 headliner

MMA junkie

Islam Makhachev's pleas for a return to competition were answered with a UFC 302 lightweight title defense against Dustin Poirier this summer.

Islam Makhachev vs. Dustin Poirier preview

Makhachev (25-1 MMA, 14-1 UFC) seeks his third successful title defense and his first against someone not named Alexander Volkanovski. Makhachev rides a 13-fight winning streak into the bout.

Poirier (30-8 MMA, 22-7 UFC) will get a rare third shot at UFC gold after two unsuccessful attempts. Poirier's first title bid was made against Makhachev's mentor and friend Khabib Nurmagomedov in 2019. He challenged for the title in 2021 and lost to Charles Oliveira. Both defeats were submissions.

Islam Makhachev vs. Dustin Poirier preliminary odds

Accord to preliminary odds on FanDuel, the fight is something of a mismatch, with Makhachev listed as a heavy -500 favorite, and Poirier as the +340 underdog.