Dustin Poirier loses fight but wins hearts at UFC 302: Love and criticism from Conor McGregor, Nate Diaz, and others

Despite a valiant effort, Dustin Poirier fell short in his third attempt at undisputed lightweight gold, losing via submission to Islam Makhachev at UFC 302. The American put on a gutsy performance, showcasing his resilience against the dominant wrestling of Makhachev.

While Poirier's striking looked sharp with some heavy kicks and shots in the clinch, the constant threat of takedowns kept him hesitant. Makhachev dominated on the ground throughout the fight, securing takedowns early on and controlling the pace.

Though Poirier repeatedly found himself back on his feet and even managed to cut the champion several times, Makhachev's relentless pressure ultimately proved too much.

In the final round, Poirier was forced to tap out to a D'arce choke, succumbing to Makhachev's superior grappling skills. The fight garnered mixed reactions from the MMA community.

Check out the Islam Makhachev submit Dustin Poirier below:

Nate Diaz took a jab at the entire event writing:

"Those fights were fu*n boring"

Interestingly, Conor McGregor, Poirier's bitter rival, remained silent on the fight itself. Instead, he focused his social media on his upcoming return at UFC 303.

Fellow lightweight fighter Arman Tsarukyan challenged Makhachev next:

"Congrats to Islam! But don’t try to run away to another division. You’ve only defended your title once against a real lightweight, and I’m next in line"

Bantamweight contender Aiemann Zahabi praised both fighters' performances:

"Great showing by Dustin Poirier, he made Islam look human. Islam kept a great pace throughout and never stopped hunting the finish!"

Hall of Famer Cub Swanson lauded the fight itself.

"That was a Great Fight!!! Congrats to both guys 👏🏽"

Check out some of the reactions to the Islam Makhachev vs. Dustin Poirier fight below:

MMA community reacts to UFC 302 main event

MMA community reacts to UFC 302 main event

Makhachev, meanwhile, etched his name in lightweight history. With his third title defense, he tied the record for most defenses in the division's history. However, the champion expressed a desire to move up to welterweight, citing a lack of exciting challenges remaining in the lightweight ranks.