Dustin poirier faces Islam makhachev at UFC 302. (Photo: Reproduction/Instagram @ufc_brasil)
Keeping an eye on the main fight of UFC 302 and with the right to speak to analyze it Dustin poirier, Michael chandler opened the game by commenting on his compatriot's chances against Islam makhachev. In a sincere stance, the fighter expressed concern about the limited preparation time the challenger will have to train and perfect his strategy to deal with the lightweight champion's (up to 70,3 kg) grappling fight.
“I’m showing a lot of respect for a guy I want to fight. Islam is very good. Lefty against lefty, a guy who is much better at wrestling. At this point, the ease with which Dustin is taken down is frightening to him. I don't know how you're going to spend the next few weeks, it's not even eight weeks, right? It's about eight weeks, seven weeks, I don't know how you spend that much time, I don't know how you can gain ground to be able to stop some of the takedowns that you know Islam is going to throw at him," Chandler said in an interview with 'The MMA Hour'.
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Despite the emphasis on Makhachev's style, Michael did not hesitate to recognize the great talent presented by the challenger in the octagon.
“But Dustin hits really hard. Dustin has the heart of a champion. Dustin is, I would say, the most skilled guy I have ever fought in my entire life,” he concluded.
Islam makhachev (left) and Dustin poirier (right) are standouts in the lightweight MMA division. Photo: SUPER FIGHTS montage
UFC 302 protagonists, Islam makhachev e Dustin poirier face each other on June 1, in the city of Newark (USA). The confrontation will be valid for the lightweight title, where the Russian has been king since 2022. Currently the challenger is considered a big underdog in bookmakers.
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