411’s UFC 302 Report: Makhachev Chokes Out Poirier

MAIN CARD (Pay-per-view, 10 p.m. ET)
(c) Islam Makhachev (155 lbs.) vs. #4 Dustin Poirier (155 lbs.) – for lightweight title
#7 Paulo Costa (185 lbs.) vs. #1 Sean Strickland (185 lbs.)
Kevin Holland (185 lbs.) vs. Michal Oleksiejczuk (185 lbs.)
Alex Morono (170 lbs.) vs. Niko Price (170 lbs.)
Randy Brown (170 lbs.) vs. Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos (170 lbs.)

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN2/ESPN+, 8 p.m. ET)
Cesar Almeida (185 lbs.) vs. Roman Kopylov (185 lbs.)
#7 Jailton Almeida (241 lbs.) vs. #13 Alexandr Romanov (265 lbs.)
Grant Dawson (155 lbs.) vs. Joe Solecki (155 lbs.)
Jake Matthews (170 lbs.) vs. Phil Rowe (171 lbs.)

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 6:30 p.m. ET)
Bassil Hafez (170 lbs.) vs. Mickey Gall (170 lbs.)
Joselyne Edwards (136 lbs.) vs. Ailin Perez (135 lbs.)
Andre Lima (130 lbs.)* vs. Mitch Raposo (125 lbs.)

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Hello everyone and welcome to 411mania’s LIVE coverage of UFC 302, I’m Robert Winfree and I’ll be your host for the evening. The UFC is back on PPV tonight and have brought a pretty solid card on paper with a compelling main event. Lightweight champion Islam Makhachev is trying for his third title defense, which would tie him with BJ Penn, Benson Henderson, and Khabib Nurmagomedov for most consecutive title defenses in UFC lightweight history. Standing across from him is fan favorite and proven top fighter Dustin Poirier, at 35 Poirier has been pretty public about this being his last real shot at the title he has twice failed to capture before. The co-main event is also five rounds and sees former middleweight champion Sean Strickland taking on Paulo Costa in a fight that definitely has title implications for the winner. The rest of the main card is OK, Kevin Holland back up at middleweight is an interesting proposition, Alex Morono is trying to continue his career renaissance, and Randy Brown vs. Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos should be a solid opener. Elsewhere we’ve got Roman Kopylov and Cesar Almeida which should have some fireworks, Grant Dawson is trying to right the ship after an upset loss to Bobby Green, and Mickey Gall tries to save his job against Bassil Hafez. All in all it’s a pretty solid card, now let’s hope it delivers in practice.

UFC 302 comes to the world from the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, USA. Jon Anik, Joe Rogan, and Daniel Cormier will be calling the action while Megan Olivi does the roving reporter bit. Keep in mind we’re in the bigger 30 foot Octagon set up, and I don’t think New Jersey allows for instant replay but I’ll let you know if that comes up. One last random bit of trivia, this is the first UFC event with their newly redesigned gloves so we’ll keep an eye on how those come into play.

Andre Lima is undefeated including winning his UFC debut a few months back after his opponent bit him, but he missed weight pretty badly for this fight and now needs another win to help smooth over that gaff. Mitch Raposo brings a four fight winning streak into his UFC debut and he now tries to make a good first impression on the audience. Lima is your -305 favorite to a +245 comeback for Raposo.

Flyweight Bout: Andre Lima (8-0, 130 lbs.)* vs. Mitch Raposo (9-1, 125 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Lima is two inches taller with three inches of reach advantage. Some circling from Raposo right away then Lima lands a calf kick. Raposo is starting to switch his stance a bit as he circles and Lima stalks forward. Bit of a left from Raposo. Lima lands a calf kick, that one hurt. Raposo is already biting on calf kick feints as well. Front kick from Lima then a calf kick. Both men land punches in close. They both go southpaw and Lima resumes landing calf kicks. Knee from Lima, Raposo almost ducked right into that one. Lima lands another calf kick. More calf kicks from Lima, he’s just stalking as he’s not terribly afraid of Raposo’s counter punching. Another couple of calf kicks from Lima and Raposo is back to orthodox now. Lima stays southpaw and lands a body kick. Bit of a right from Raposo. Lima fires a head kick that’s blocked. Calf kick from Lima. They just stare away the final seconds.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Lima

ROUND TWO: Looks like more of the same to start the second. Raposo lands a right to the body. Lima has a high kick blocked. Calf kick from Lima then they trade punches. Bit of a right from Raposo. Raposo avoids a few kicks then misses a right hand. Inside leg kick from Lima, he’s still fighting southpaw while Raposo is mostly orthodox now. Bit of a left from Lima. Inside leg kick from Lima then he avoids a few punches. Another calf kick from Lima but Raposo gets poked in the eye so we’ve got a time out. Raposo doesn’t want much time and we’re quickly back to fighting. Left hook from Raposo. Lima lands a calf kick as Cormier schills for the new gloves despite a bunch of fighters having publicly disliked them. Front kick from Lima. Raposo tries a single leg and hits it, Lima quickly wall walks then they break. Lima misses a spinning back kick to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Lima but a closer one, 20-18 Lima overall

ROUND THREE: Both men land jabs to start the last round. Lima lands a calf kick. Raposo lands a right hand but can’t follow up. Lima keeps chopping with calf kicks. Bit of a body kick from Lima. Front kick from Lima. Another body kick from Lima then a calf kick behind it. Both men fire rights in close. Lima with a body kick then a jab. Jab from Lima. Lima lands a calf kick. Raposo with a right hand. Sharp left from Lima connects. Another calf kick from Lima. They trade punches in close. Bit of an uppercut then a left hook from Raposo. Lima lands another calf kick. A calf kick from Lima drops Raposo for a second. Raposo grabs at a clinch, they scramble but then hit the fence. Lima has Raposo on the cage and lands a knee before they break. Lima pushes forward but doesn’t throw anything as the round closes.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Lima, 30-27 Lima overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Andre Lima via split decision (28-29, 30-27 x2)

29-28 for Raposo is pretty terrible as a scorecard, you could maybe argue the second but the others weren’t close. No interview for Lima.

Ailin Perez has gone 2-1 in the UFC but she’s on a two fight winning streak and hasn’t lost since returning to bantamweight, she’s trying to extend that streak here and show she’s ready to start moving from prospect to contender. Joselyne Edwards just had a three fight winning streak snapped in her previous fight, she’s also missed weight twice during his UFC tenure and needs a good performance here to prove she’s really back on track. The odds are with Perez at -205 to +170 on Edwards.

Women’s Bantamweight Bout: Joselyne Edwards (13-5, 136 lbs.) vs. Ailin Perez (9-2, 135 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Edwards is three inches taller with four inches of reach advantage. Some early switching from Perez as they circle a bit. Bit of a body kick from Perez. They clinch up after trading kicks and hit the fence. Some knees go back and forth as Edwards has Perez on the fence, then Perez hits an outside throw to get on top in half guard. Edwards wall walks but eats a knee to the body on the way. Perez with another knee then hits a body throw to get on top in half guard again. Edwards with a headlock sweep to get on top now, that’s a technique that should never work at the UFC level. Perez with a hip bump sweep and they scramble again ultimately Perez winds up on top. Edwards scoots towards the fence and looks to wall walk, she’s up but still in the clinch. Perez with a quick takedown into leg drag. Some elbows from Perez then she moves to full mount. Edwards works to hip escape and gets to half guard again. Perez with another elbow. Punches from Perez land, then an elbow. Edwards with a headlock sweep again to get back on top. The round ends in that position.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Perez

ROUND TWO: Right hand then a body kick from Perez, bit of a left hand from Edwards. Both women swing some punches. Edwards starts stalking forward, lands a jab then grabs a standing guillotine. Perez sinks to her back to release the pressure and Edwards is on top in half guard. Not a lot going on, and Perez gets full guard. Perez lands an elbow from her back. Edwards lands a couple of punches. There’s a headbutt from Edwards so we’ve got a time out. They restart on the feet, no point deduction. Spinning back fist from Perez floors Edwards, but she lets her stand back up. They clinch up and hit the fence. Perez slings Edwards down then gets the back but loses position and Edwards is on top in full guard. Terrible decision from Perez there to let Edwards stand back up. The round ends in that spot.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Perez, 20-18 Perez overall

ROUND THREE: Body kick from Perez. Edwards is moving forward still. They clinch up then break. Another clinch and this time it hits the fence. Perez gets Edwards on the fence, then she looks for a headlock throw but she’s going to lose that position if she’s not careful. They wind up settling chest to chest on the fence. Edwards gets thrown again, but they scramble back up and free. Some stance switching from Perez as she circles, she lands a body kick then they trade in close. Edwards avoids a few punches then misses a spinning attack. Perez avoids a few punches. They trade leg kicks. Perez lands a left hand then misses a spinning back fist. More leg kicks go back and forth then Perez lands a left hand. Perez hits an outside trip and gets to full mount then the back just as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Edwards but a close one, 29-28 Perez overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Ailin Perez via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28 x2)

No interview again.

Mickey Gall has gone 1-3 in his last four fights and is on a two fight losing streak, he could very well be fighting for his job tonight. Bassil Hafez dropped his UFC debut when he stepped in on very short notice to fight Jack Della Maddalena and still made it a split decision, that was about a year ago though and now he’s back looking for that all important first UFC win. Hafez is a fairly hefty favorite at -395 to +310 for Gall.

Welterweight Bout: Bassil Hafez (8-4-1, 170 lbs.) vs. Mickey Gall (7-5, 170 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Gall is three inches taller with two inches of reach advantage. Hafez pushes forward right away. Both men probe a bit with the lead hand. Bit of a right from Hafez. Calf kick from Hafez. Hafez lands a right hand. A few jabs go back and forth as they circle. Right hand then a left behind it from Hafez. Gall lands a jab then Hafez lands a right hand. Hafez goes southpaw now for a bit but nothing comes of it. Gall avoids a high kick. They split a few jabs then Hafez lands a couple of left hooks. Left hook from Hafez in close seems to bother Gall a bit. Gall with a bit of a right hand then he lands a body kick. They trade punches again but Hafez is winning out on these kinds of exchanges. Bit of a right from Gall. They trade in close then Gall lands a right hand that bothers Hafez. Gall’s face is a bit busted up, he’s cut around the inside of the right eye and over the left eyebrow. They get close and both men land punches. They’ll circle away the final seconds.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Hafez

ROUND TWO: Hafez back to moving forward but both men seem a little slower now. Gall lands a jab. Hafez lands a right hand. A right hand from Gall stuns Hafez. Both men land punches in close, Hafez is enjoying southpaw I guess because he’s spending most of his time there despite switching on occasion. A left hand from Hafez wobbles Gall and Gall is backing up now. Hafez stalks forward but has a right hand blocked. Gall lands a bit of a right hand. Left from Hafez in close connects. Both men swing in close but can’t find the target. They trade rights. Gall lands a right to the body then a jab. Glancing left from Hafez then both men miss punches. Quick combination from Hafez. Gall hits a takedown but Hafez bounces up and punches him. Right uppercut from Hafez. Double jab then a right hand from Gall all land. Hafez hits a double leg and gets on top then lands a few punches and stands over Gall as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Hafez, 20-18 Hafez overall

ROUND THREE: Both men miss punches to start the last round. Bit of a right from Hafez. Gall avoids a spinning attack and lands a right hand but his face is kind of busted up. Both men land rights, then they both comically miss rights. Right hand then a left from Hafez but Gall follows that with a right. Hafez lands a right hand then a body kick. Right uppercut from Hafez bothers Gall and Gall starts backing up. Gall then lands a right that drops Hafez but Hafez bounces up. Double leg from Gall but Hafez kicks him off and regains his feet. Both men land punches again then Hafez hits a takedown. Hafez is nearly in mount but Gall blocks his last pass to grab half guard. Gall to his knees then back up and they separate. Right hand from Gall then an elbow behind it. Hafez starts moving forward and they trade punches again. Power hand punches to back and forth. A left hand from Hafez stuns Gall. Gall avoids a takedown and lands a knee. One two from Hafez. Gall blocks another takedown attempt. They trade punches again then Gall lands a right hand. Takedown from Hafez and he’s on top in half guard with 30 seconds left. Hafez stands free and lets Gall up so they can swing wildly for the last 2 seconds.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Gall, 29-28 Hafez overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Bassil Hafez via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27 x2)

Mic time for Hafez, that was the kind of fun brawl the UFC brass like so that’s not surprising. Hafez puts over sponsors then puts over Gall’s toughness and wants to continue getting better going forward. He plans to work up for a rematch with Jack Della Maddalena, then expresses support for Palestine.

Phil Rowe has gone 3-2 in the UFC and most recently dropped a close split decision to Neil Magny that ended his three fight winning streak, now he’s back and looking to avoid his first UFC losing streak. Jake Matthews has been with the UFC since 2014 but has been trading wins and losses while going 3-3 in his last six fights, a pattern he’ll hope holds as he lost his last fight and he’d doubtless like to avoid his first losing streak since 2016. The odds lean towards Matthews at -170 to +140 for Rowe.

Welterweight Bout: Jake Matthews (19-7, 170 lbs.) vs. Phil Rowe (10-4, 171 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Rowe is three and a half inches taller and a serious seven and a half inches of reach advantage. Both men do a little feinting as they circle. Matthews misses a right hand. Rowe is showing leg kicks early. Matthews lands a calf kick. Bit of a combination from Rowe is blocked. Rowe checked a calf kick. Rowe checks another calf kick. Matthews is backing up and eats a right hand. Matthews is staying busier in general but he’s not landing much and Rowe is sniping. One two from Rowe lands then he avoids the counters. Another one two from Rowe lands. Left hook from Rowe, Matthews responds with a right hand but Matthews is bleeding from the nose now. Right hand from Rowe, he’s landing and avoiding a lot of the counters as he’s getting Matthews to the fence. Matthews lands a right hand. Rowe with some jabs at distance. Matthews has a combination blocked. Left hook from Matthews lands. Rowe with a couple of jabs. Bit of a knee from Rowe but he took a groin shot during that so we’ve got a time out. Replay shows there was some groin contact. Rowe takes just under a minute to recover then we’re back to fighting. Matthews bulls forward and looks to brawl but Rowe lands a knee. Right hand from Matthews. Rowe slips on a kick and Matthews gets on top in side control as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Rowe but a close one

ROUND TWO: Matthews gets back on forward pressure and lands a calf kick. Right to the body from Matthews. Rowe checks a calf kick. Combination from Matthews in close, he bothers Rowe with a right hand but Rowe recovers. Rowe lands a jab, that might have bothered Matthews a bit. Rowe lands a right hand. One two from Rowe. Matthews with a right to the body. Rowe lands another jab then a calf kick. Calf kick from Rowe. Both men land punches in close. Matthews jabs the body. Rowe blocks a few punches but he’s not actively countering much now. They trade a few jabs. Matthews swings punches to the body that land. Rowe lands a hard right hand. Both men land in close. Matthews with a glancing right hand, he’s just out working Rowe right now. They trade lefts as the last real exchange of the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Matthews, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: Rowe comes out kicking then tries a takedown but Matthews stuffs him and then pushes him over to get on top. Octopus guard sweep from Rowe and he’s back on top in half guard now. A few body shots from Rowe. Matthews looks to base up but Rowe catches one of his arms and strips the posting limb. Matthews has gotten to full guard though. Rowe lands a few punches then gets the back as Matthews scrambles but Matthews is able to pull him off and get on top in half guard. Matthews is after an arm triangle now but Rowe defends and looks for another sweep. Now Matthews is looking to pass, he gets to half guard on the other side and starts threatening an arm triangle. Rowe is kind of just stuck under Matthews at this point. One last scramble but Matthews retains top position as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Matthews, 29-28 Matthews overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Jake Matthews via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28 x2)

30-27 seems wrong given that first round, but no issues with him winning. No interview for Matthews.

Grant Dawson suffered his first loss since 2016 his last time out when Bobby Green knocked him out in 33 seconds, now he’s trying to rebound and prove he’s still one of the brighter rising talents in the division. Joe Solecki has gone 5-2 in the UFC but he’s coming off of a loss when got knocked out with a slam in December of last year, he’s trying to avoid his first losing streak tonight. Not surprising to see Dawson as the -485 favorite to +370 on Solecki.

Lightweight Bout: Grant Dawson (20-2-1, 155 lbs.) vs. Joe Solecki (13-4, 155 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Dawson is an inch taller with an inch and a half of reach advantage. Dawson charges right at Solecki, Solecki scrambles around and looks for a guillotine against the fence. Solecki loses the guillotine attack and just wraps the body of Dawson as Solecki gets on top. They wrestle around for a bit but Dawson is hip to the front headlock attacks of Solecki thus far. Solecki keeps selling out for the guillotine, Dawson keeps trying to fight through it but he’s passing towards the wrong side though eventually Solecki bails on the choke to retain full guard. A few punches land for Dawson as he pushes Solecki against the fence. Solecki is working well off of his back, the threat and motion he’s presenting is keeping Dawson from throwing a lot of strikes. Dawson does land a few punches but he’s not getting much off yet. Somewhere in there Dawson got cut around the left eye, allegedly that was from an elbow from Solecki. Dawson does land a few more punches now. Elbows now from Dawson start to get through. Dawson with another couple of elbows to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Dawson but could go either way

ROUND TWO: Dawson gets back to pressure, that cut around Dawson’s left eye is not good but not a fight ender. Both men miss punches then Dawson gets a takedown into full guard. Bit of an elbow from Dawson. Solecki is kind of stuck against the fence but he’s not looking to wall walk much, he’s just playing guard. Elbow from Dawson but there’s just not a lot going on here. A few more punches from Dawson but not a lot are getting through, he’s just doing enough to keep the ref from getting involved. Dawson finally is able to land a bit of a flurry. The round ends with Dawson still on top.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Dawson, might be 10-8 if you’re feeling generous, 20-18 Dawson overall

ROUND THREE: Solecki tries a kick early but it hits Dawson low, though Solecki doesn’t want a break. Solecki lands a couple of punches in close. Dawson tries a takedown and gets on top again. More of the same now I guess, Dawson does land a few punches. Dawson lands a few lefts. Non-trivial “this is boring” chant for a few seconds, can’t say I disagree. Dawson sneaks in a few elbows, not much on them but they did land. Solecki is half fishing for a kimura but he’s not getting all that close. Dawson swings a few more punches but doesn’t really land. A few elbows kind of land for Dawson. Solecki kicks Dawson off but Dawson gets back on top as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Dawson, 30-27 Dawson overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Grant Dawson via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27 x2)

No issues with Solecki getting the first, no interview for Dawson.

Jailton Almeida just had a 15 fight winning streak broken when he stepped up in class against Curtis Blaydes, now he’s trying to bounce back and prove he’s still one of the rising forces at heavyweight while also avoiding his first losing streak. Alexandr Romanov snapped a two fight losing streak in his last fight when he got a particularly uninspiring win against Blagoy Ivanov, he’s stepping up in class here to Almeida but a win would be the biggest of his career thus far. Almeida is your -325 favorite to Romanov’s +260.

Heavyweight Bout: #7 Jailton Almeida (20-3, 241 lbs.) vs. #13 Alexandr Romanov (17-2, 265 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Almeida is an inch taller with four inches of reach advantage, Romanov is 20+ pounds heavier though. They touch gloves, Romanov fighting southpaw. Almeida with a few front kicks then he tries a single leg but settles for a clinch then hits an outside trip. Slow pass from Almeida as he looks to get around the hip of Romanov. Eventually Almeida gets the back as Romanov tries to move, Almeida grabs a rear naked choke but Romanov is able to break the choke attempt. Almeida gets back to the choke, this one’s tight and he forces the tap.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Jailton Almeida via Submission, rear naked choke, at 2:27 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Almeida for his work this evening. Mic time for Almeida and the translator since we finally got a finish, he tries some broken English then goes back to Portuguese to say he saw all the decisions before him and came out to finish because he always tries to finish fights. He talks us through the finish and puts over his coaches. To close he wants to fight in France and hopes for a post fight bonus.

Here’s the finish, just textbook rear naked choke stuff from Almeida. Basics done well will carry you very very far.

JAILTON ALMEIDA FORCES THE TAP IN ROUND 1 🔒 #UFC302 pic.twitter.com/lQU4xyeMc4

— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) June 2, 2024

Cesar Almeida is undefeated and had a successful UFC debut just a couple of months ago, now after a quick turnaround he’s hoping to derail a fairly bright prospect in the division while also proving his readiness to ascend the middleweight ranks. Roman Kopylov just had a four fight winning streak broken when he went tooth and nail with Anthony Hernandez but came up on the short end of things, he’s trying to get back on the winning side of things and prove he’s ready to move up the ranks again. Close one here, -120 on Almeida against +100 for Kopylov.

Middleweight Bout: Cesar Almeida (5-0, 185 lbs.) vs. Roman Kopylov (12-3, 185 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Almeida is an inch taller Kopylov has an inch of reach advantage. Southpaw for Kopylov and both men come out probing with kicks. Almeida goes southpaw now as well. Kopylov jabs the body then lands a left hand. Another right to the body from Kopylov. Almeida lands a leg kick, he’s staying very active here and working smoothly at distance. Jabs go back and forth for a bit. Kopylov hits a takedown but lets Almeida back up. Left hand from Kopylov. Hard one two from Kopylov and Almeida goes orthodox now. Body kick from Almeida. Again they trade punches in close then Kopylov lands a body kick. Takedown from Kopylov and he’s on top in side control. Almeida is able to wall walk and they separate. Kopylov drops Almeida with a left hand, he gets on top and lands some hammer fists then makes Almeida stand back up. Almeida moves forward again. Kopylov avoids a punch and hits a double leg into side control. Almeida is able to catch half guard and Kopylov elbows him, then Almeida gets full guard and closes it. The round will end with Kopylov on top.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Kopylov

ROUND TWO: Both men block high kicks to start the round. Almeida’s right eye seems to be bothering him, it’s not swelling much but he’s visibly favoring it. Both men show body jabs now. Kopylov lands a right hand. Both men land in close then Kopylov thinks about a takedown but Almeida blocks that one. Almeida with a left to the body then Kopylov lands a one two. Kopylov forces a clinch to the fence and looks for a takedown. Almeida grabs at a standing guillotine, just dissuading Kopylov from finishing the takedown I think. Eventually they break and reset. Both men land punches again. Almeida with a knee after blocking a takedown. Kopylov hits a double leg into side control again, then he moves himself into half guard for more control. Almeida is able to get full guard. Not much going on here now, Almeida is stalling and Kopylov isn’t able to get much offense going. That’s where the round will end.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Almeida, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: Almeida opens with a body kick. Kopylov with a few jabs then a missed head kick. Both men avoid some punches. A couple of rights land for Almeida. Kopylov lands a jab then a one two. Right hand from Almeida. Kopylov jabs again then hits a double leg into full guard. Not much going on here, Kopylov is able to land a few short punches. Almeida is trying to tie up and stall from the bottom again, and it’s kind of working. Bit of a left from Kopylov. A few rights from Kopylov land. Almeida sort of tries rubber guard but he clearly doesn’t know how to do that. Kopylov lands a couple of punches but he’s not able to get much on them yet. Bit of a right from Kopylov but the ref decides to stand them up. Almeida avoids a right hand. Almeida lands a right hand but Kopylov then hits a double leg back into full guard. A few punches land for Kopylov then he stands over Almeida and lands a couple of leg kicks then passes to side control. There’s technically a mounted crucifix for Kopylov if he knows how to hip into it. The round will end with Kopylov on top landing a few short punches.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Kopylov, 29-28 Kopylov overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Roman Kopylov via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 30-27)

I’m not going to get on my soap box about that one, but I don’t agree with Almeida getting the third round.

That’s it for the prelims, onto PPV for the main card.

Randy Brown has gone 6-1 in his last seven fights, only losing when he fought Jack Della Maddalena, and he’s on a two fight winning streak right now. Brown is looking for one of the bigger names he could add to his resume tonight while also proving he’s ready to step up to bigger names going forward. Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos has gone 2-1-1 in his last four fights and fought to a draw with Rinat Fakhretdinov his last time out, now he’s trying to turn back a rising younger fighter and hold onto his divisional position for a while longer. Brown is your favorite at -180 but +150 on dos Santos might be a decent little value bet.

Welterweight Bout: Randy Brown (18-5, 170 lbs.) vs. Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos (24-7-1, 170 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Brown is four inches taller with five inches of reach advantage. Some early feinting from Brown, who looks much larger than dos Santos. Bit of a double jab right hand from Brown. Dos Santos avoids a right hand. Brown checks a leg kick. A fair number of jabs coming out from Brown now. Dos Santos lands a leg kick to counter a jab. Brown blocks a high kick. Dos Santos misses a right hand. Brown catches a kick but can’t do anything with it. Dos Santos complains of an eye poke and we get a time out. The ref then restarts them apropos of nothing, that was odd. Replay shows there was a bit of a poke. Dos Santos complains of another eye poke and the ref ignores him, either he thinks it wasn’t a poke or he’s just not a fan. Brown lands a combination of punches. Dos Santos bulls forward for a takedown but Brown avoids it and separates. Some front kicks from Brown now to maintain distance. Dos Santos lands a leg kick. Stiff jab from Brown. Brown avoids a few punches then lands a knee to the head to close out the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Brown

ROUND TWO: Brown gets back to looking for jabs. Bit of a calf kick from dos Santos. Dos Santos lands a right hand that wobbles Brown, he looks to push for the finish but winds up with a clinch. Dos Santos pulls for a crab ride and Brown scoots to the fence then stands with dos Santos on his back. Bit of a mat return from dos Santos but Brown stands though they’re still clinched. Dos Santos is able to ride Brown down and get one hook in. Body triangle now for dos Santos and he’s after the choke, Brown tries to fight the grip. Dos Santos can’t quite get under the chin and winds up bailing on the choke to then attack with it again. They fight over the choke for a bit but Brown is able to spin into him then gets on the back of dos Santos as they scramble. Brown with punches then he grabs a choke attempt. Dos Santos is able to break the choke but Brown starts landing elbows from the back as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 dos Santos but Brown might have stolen it at the end, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: Brown showing the jab more as the round starts, and he lands a left hook but dos Santos lands a calf kick. Brown lands a jab but dos Santos avoids the follow up uppercut. We get another time out as dos Santos complains of an eye poke, replay shows there was a bit of a poke but we’re back to fighting very quickly. A few Brown jabs land. Brown checks a calf kick then dos Santos misses a wheel kick. Bit of a leg kick from dos Santos. Glancing left hook from Brown then a knee that seems to bother dos Santos who is also cut now. More jabs from Brown, then dos Santos grabs a clinch that hits the fence. Dos Santos is trying to level change against the fence but Brown is defending thus far. OK, I think that blood is coming from a ruptured cauliflower ear on dos Santos. They break without incident and Brown shows the jab again. Dos Santos eats some jabs then gets the back in a clinch and trips Brown down. No hooks for dos Santos, Brown is able to sling him around over the top as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Brown, 29-28 Brown overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Randy Brown via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

Brown gets an interview, he’s not happy with his performance and knows there’s work to do then plays with the crowd for a bit. He sends love to Jamaica then says he’s giving away his fight gloves. Asked about the future he wants Geoff Neal or anyone in the top 15.

Niko Price has gone 1-3 in his last four fights, was knocked out by Robbie Lawler his last time out which was also just about a year ago. Price pretty badly needs a win here to get his career back on track. Alex Morono has traded wins and losses while going 3-2 in his last five fights but he’s coming off of a win and now looks for his first winning streak since 2022. The odds like Morono at -260 against Price’s +210.

Welterweight Bout: Alex Morono (24-9 1 NC, 170 lbs.) vs. Niko Price (15-7 2 NC, 170 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Price is an inch taller with four inches of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get us going. Calf kick from Morono. Both men look for the jab while they move around. Bit of a right from Morono. Price misses a left hand. Bit of a one two from Morono. Price with a right hand to counter a leg kick then he gets on top after off balancing Morono. Morono is after an armbar, switches towards an omoplata but loses it as Price scrambles up and they wind up with Morono on Price’s back as they stand. Morono pulls things to the mat and gets the back of Price then locks in a body triangle. Price is able to spin into top position and gets in the full guard of Morono. Morono is able to fight up and they trade punches in close. Price avoids a wild right hand and lands a jab. Jab from Price now. Morono lands a right hand then a spinning back kick to the body. One two from Morono. Price lands a body kick then a bit of a right hand. Some jabs go back and forth. Price is getting closer and looking to force a brawl now. Bit of a knee from Price. Morono misses some punches to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Morono

ROUND TWO: Both men show jabs as the round starts. Bit of a right from Price. Morono lands a right hand. Morono checks some kicks. A right from Price off balances Morono for a second. Morono lands a right hand. Right hand from Price. They trade in close. Price has started hitting the body a bit this round and it’s helping him close distance. Price lands a right hand. Morono with a one two then a follow up right in close. Price staggers Morono with a right hand, both men miss punches in close then Price hits a takedown into half guard. Punches from Price now, then hammer fists. Morono is able to shrimp to full guard. Hammer fists from Price and he avoids an armbar attempt but that does allow Morono to stand then jump for a guillotine. They’re in a weird spot against the fence and Price is able to get his head out and resume working from top position. Price lands some lefts then avoids another armbar attempt but again Morono uses that to stand in a clinch. Morono is able to slip to the back standing but Price elbows him anyway. They get chest to chest and Price lands knees to the body. Double leg from Price, Morono tries the guillotine again but again can’t find it. Price postures up and lands elbows as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Price, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: Both men come out and miss punches. Price lands a right hand. Morono looks fatigued at this point but he does land a right hand. They trade punches in close but Price is extending these exchanges now and looking to drown Morono with pace and pressure. Bit of a right from Price. Glancing uppercut from Price. Morono blocks a few kicks then they trade rights. Body kick from Price. A couple of short rights from Price land. They clinch then Morono lands a left as they break. Both men miss punches again. Bit of a body kick from Price. Hard uppercut from Price lands then he hits a double leg. Morono is dead tired now and Price lands elbows and hammer fists from top position. Price gets the back as they stand and lands a few knees before they break. Morono lands a front kick but eats a left hand. Price with an elbow in close. They trade rights but Price is still landing better. Bit of a left hook from Price. Price lands a right hand. Morono has a spinning attack blocked then lands a front kick. Price bulls forward and lands a couple of short punches. Uppercut from Price then a body kick. Morono misses a few more shots. Price bulls forward again and they trade along the fence as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Price, 29-28 Price overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Niko Price via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

No interview for Price but he’s also just the second underdog to win tonight.

Kevin Holland has gone just 2-4 in his last six fights and he’s on a two fight losing streak, dropping bouts to both Jack Della Maddalena and Michael Page. Now Holland is moving back up to middleweight for the first time since 2021 and he’s hoping to get back on the winning side of things. Michal Oleksiejczuk has gone 3-2 since dropping to middleweight, he came up short against Michel Pereira in March but now he’s back and trying to avoid his first losing streak since 2020. Holland is the -280 favorite while that +225 payout on Oleksiejczuk has to tempt some bettors out there.

Middleweight Bout: Kevin Holland (25-11 1 NC, 185 lbs.) vs. Michal Oleksiejczuk (19-7 1 NC, 185 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Holland is three inches taller with a serious seven inches of reach advantage. Southpaw for Oleksiejczuk, and they touch gloves to get going. Holland with a front kick but Oleksiejczuk counters with a left hand. Left to the body from Oleksiejczuk. Holland is circling and trying to stay long but Oleksiejczuk is constantly moving forward and closing distance. Holland with some jabs now, then he gets off balanced throwing a kick. Oleksiejczuk swings more punches on the ground now, but Holland grabs an armbar, it’s deep and he rolls through with it to break the arm but the ref is very slow on the stoppage there. Oleksiejczuk is pissed but that arm is broken.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Kevin Holland via Technical Submission, armbar, at 1:34 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Holland for his work this evening. Mic time for Holland, he admits to getting hurt by that punch but found the arm once he realized where he was. He says he started not going too hard on the armbar but when he realized Oleksiejczuk wouldn’t tap he had to crank it. Asked about the future he thinks he’s good to be a gatekeeper at either middleweight or welterweight, whatever the UFC wants.

Sean Strickland is the former middleweight champion and dropped that belt to Dricus du Plessis his last time out in a hotly contested split decision, Strickland is trying to get back on the winning side of things and possible get shot at regaining the title. Paulo Costa has gone just 1-3 in his last four fights and came up short against Robert Whittaker his last time out, but Costa is still ranked and could put himself back into title contention with a win over the former champion. The odds are with Strickland at -260 against +210 for Costa, and keep in mind that this fight is set for 5 rounds.

Middleweight Bout: #7 Paulo Costa (14-3, 185 lbs.) vs. #1 Sean Strickland (28-6, 185 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: These two are the same height while Strickland has four inches of reach advantage. Leg kick from Costa, then another one. Strickland parries a few punches and looks to get his jab working. Some front kicks from Strickland but he’s playing southpaw now and might be protecting that left leg. Costa is circling and looking to explode but Strickland keeps poking at him with front kicks. More front kicks from Strickland. Costa is really struggling with the range now. Strickland keeps coming forward and checks a calf kick. Costa jabs the body a few times, then Strickland jabs him in the face. More front kicks to the hip and belly from Strickland. Costa is doing a lot of circling and backing up. Bit of a right from Strickland. Costa jabs the body again but the pressure is robbing him of a lot of his power. Strickland catches a kick and lands a right that off balances Costa but Costa bounces back up. More front kicks from Strickland, those can’t be fun to take to the body over and over again. A final front kick from Strickland closes the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Strickland but could go the other way

ROUND TWO: They touch gloves for the second. Strickland gets back to moving forward and stabbing in kicks. Costa misses a leg kick. Strickland backs Costa towards the fence and kicks him again. Costa misses a few punches. Calf kick from Costa, that one didn’t feel good. Strickland jabs but takes another calf kick. Bit of a right from Strickland to counter a calf kick. More front kicks from Strickland then a bit of a right. Costa jabs the body but Strickland responds with a one two. Strickland again with front kicks, Costa does not like those. Costa misses some punches then Strickland lands a right hand. Bit of a right from Strickland and he checks a leg kick which seems to bother Costa. Strickland keeps on the front kicks then checks another calf kick. Costa reaches for a clinch but Strickland avoids him. Jab from Strickland. Strickland blocks a wheel kick and gets back on pressure. A few more front kicks from Strickland land. A jab off balances Costa but he bounces back up. Costa is slowing and trying to force a brawl but Strickland is methodical. More front kicks from Strickland to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Strickland, 20-18 Strickland overall

ROUND THREE: They touch gloves again. Strickland back to front kicking and moving forward. Short right from Strickland lands. Bit of a calf kick from Costa. Strickland with another front kick. Costa rips a left to the body. Strickland parries a front kick then checks a calf kick, his defense is doing a lot of work. Right hand then a left hook land for Strickland. Strickland lands another jab. Body kick from Costa but Strickland keeps moving forward. Cross check of a leg kick from Strickland and Costa is limping now, that one hurt just looking at it. Strickland with more front kicks then a left hook. Costa with a left to the body and he tries to clinch but Strickland easily circles away from that. Another Strickland front kick lands. Several jabs from Strickland connect then he avoids a spinning back kick. Front kick towards the face from Strickland then a jab. Calf kick from Costa. Double jab from Strickland. Strickland lands a couple of more front kicks. Jab from Strickland. Costa jabs the body but he’s still fading. Strickland avoids a right hand then checks a leg kick. Jab then a left hook from Strickland. Costa lands a left to the body. Strickland front kicks again then lands a right uppercut to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Strickland, 30-27 Strickland overall

ROUND FOUR: Strickland back to front kicking and moving forward. Both men miss punches. Body kicks are coming into play for Strickland now. Bit of a calf kick from Costa. Bit of a left from Strickland. Strickland lands a jab. Strickland checks a calf kick. Front kick from Strickland lands, then another one. Another front kick from Strickland. Front kick then a right hand from Strickland. Bit of a combination from Strickland in close. Both men miss rights. Glancing right from Costa but Strickland’s shoulder was up to deflect. Strickland with more jabs as he moves forward. Costa lands a calf kick. Bit of a combination from Strickland. Costa with a left to the body. They split jabs then Strickland lands a couple of front kicks. Strickland keeps pressing forward and they trade jabs. Combination in close from Strickland. Strickland lands a front kick then a jab. Bit of a right from Strickland then he avoids a calf kick to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Strickland but a close one, 40-36 Strickland overall

ROUND FIVE: They touch gloves for the final round. Costa jabs the body a couple of times. Strickland checks a leg kick. Front kicks from Strickland then a jab. Strickland avoids a right hand and lands a jab. Strickland is pressing forward still, and he avoids a one two. Left hand from Strickland and he blocks a left from Costa. Strickland catches a body kick and lands a couple of rights. A couple of power shots from Costa miss. Strickland lands a couple of lefts. Jab from Strickland to counter a leg kick. Strickland checks a leg kick then lands a front kick. More front kicks from Strickland now. Body kick from Costa. Strickland with another front kick. Jab from Strickland, then another one. Costa lands a left to the body then eats a jab and a front kick. Strickland avoids a clinch then lands a front kick. Bit of a right from Strickland. They split jabs. Strickland lands a jab. Costa misses a left hook but then slips a counter right. Body jab from Costa. Strickland avoids a clinch then lands a right hand. Both men land punches but Strickland extends the exchange and unloads along the fence including dropping Costa with a head kick. Strickland fires a final combination but Costa is able to defend as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Strickland, 50-45 Strickland overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Sean Strickland via split decision (46-49, 50-45, 49-46)

Fire that judge who went 4-1 Costa, that’s Clucky beyond all understanding. Mic time for Strickland as commentary also bury that Costa scorecard. Strickland apologizes for the fight and says Costa went backwards fast and was hard to catch. He expected a war but Costa didn’t oblige him. He wants a rematch for the belt, he’s being the company man fighting a contender and now wants his rematch. To close he puts over former President Donald Trump, who is in attendance.

Dustin Poirier is a celebrated veteran of the sport, he’s been with the UFC since 2011 and has put on some of the most entertaining and memorable fights in the promotions history during his time, plus he’s twice contended for the lightweight title but came up short against both Khabib Nurmagomedov and Charles Oliveira. Poirier is getting his third title shot here, a rarity for those who have never held the full title before, and he’s trying to overcome not only one of the very best fighters in the sport but one of the more damning statistical lines. No male fighter has ever won a UFC title fight at the age of 35 or older from lightweight down to flyweight, and Poirier is now 35. Islam Makhachev is the UFC lightweight champion, has a 13 fight winning streak going that dates back to 2015, has twice bested an all time great in Alexander Volkanovski, along with a host of statistical accolades pertaining to striking defense and takedown accuracy. Makhachev is trying to add another scalp to his record, bring himself into a tie for most consecutive title defenses in the weight class, and further prove himself the best pound for pound fighter in the world right now. While it’s not surprising to see Makhachev as the favorite, -600 is pretty darn steep and a +440 payout for Poirier might tempt gamblers out there.

Lightweight Title Bout: (c) Islam Makhachev (25-1, 155 lbs.) vs. #4 Dustin Poirier (30-8 1 NC, 155 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Makhachev is an inch taller while Poirier has an inch and a half of reach advantage. Both men are fighting southpaw. A bit of feinting from both men then Makhachev avoids a calf kick. Poirier is trying to show the jab right now. Makhachev falls short on a front kick. Bit of a left from Makhachev bothers Poirier then he hits a lovely single leg against the fence into half guard. Makhachev is looking to set up a pass and lands a few punches to try and help that happen. Kimura from Makhachev, it’s tight but Poirier spins free only to give up his back and Makhachev locks up a body triangle. Makhachev’s transition game is almost unfair, by all rights he should have lost that position. Poirier is trying to block choke attempts from even starting. Makhachev with some hammer fists as he’s trying to open up submission attempts. Makhachev keeps threatening to move to mount and when Poirier has to defend that he can attack the choke. Poirier is able to keep defending and he’ll see the end of the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Makhachev

ROUND TWO: Both men do some feinting again, Makhachev then hits a takedown to counter a leg kick but Poirier is able to scramble free pretty quickly. Makhachev avoids a few punches. Poirier is stalking forward now, then Makhachev lands a knee to the body. Both men miss punches. Single leg from Makhachev, Poirier limp legs away but eats an uppercut for his trouble. Left hand from Makhachev lands. Poirier avoids an elbow then lands a jab. Makhachev lands a jab then a right hook. More jabs from Makhachev, he’s starting to get a read to land that punch. Poirier blocks a couple of punches but then Makhachev shoots a single leg and gets things to the fence. They fight for position along the fence, Poirier hits a couple of body shots but Makhachev lands uppercuts before they break. Bit of a right from Poirier after he took a couple of punches. Body shot from Makhachev now. Poirier misses a left hand. Makhachev grabs a clinch and lands a knee but eats a couple of punches. Poirier pushes forward but walks into a couple of punches again. They trade then clinch up, Makhachev hits a single leg against the fence. Makhachev on top and lands a few punches as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Makhachev but a close one, 20-18 Makhachev overall

ROUND THREE: Makhachev stalks forward to start the round. They trade some jabs then Makhachev lands a knee to the head. Left uppercut and a knee from Makhachev then they clinch and he pushes Poirier into the fence. Makhachev rides Poirier down to a knee and looks to slip to the back and does get to the ride. Now Makhachev sweeps a leg out and gets the back again with a body triangle. Makhachev resumes looking for the choke from the back and Poirier is defending but his nose is bleeding now. Poirier is defending well so far but he’s stuck. Makhachev transitions to mount now and lands some punches. Makhachev is setting up a mounted triangle, Poirier bridges off the fence though and scrambles up after escaping a bit of an armbar attempt. Poirier keeps moving forward but he’s cut up around the right eye now, Makhachev’s jab has been landing. Bit of a jab from Poirier. Makhachev with a combination of punches. Bit of a left from Makhachev after he slipped a jab. Poirier lands a calf kick. One two from Makhachev, that went right into the left eye of Poirier but it was a punch not a poke so it’s legal. Makhachev gets back to jabbing. Poirier eats a couple of rights then lands a right of his own to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Makhachev, 30-27 Makhachev overall

ROUND FOUR: Poirier pressures forward to start the round. Makhachev is able to land a left hand over a jab of Poirier. Body shot from Makhachev. Both men land lefts then Poirier shoves Makhachev away from a takedown. They trade jabs. Bit of a knee from Makhachev. Poirier avoids a double leg. Makhachev punches into a clinch but can’t maintain it. A couple of rights from Makhachev in close after Poirier landed to the body. Makhachev lands a solid left hand then shoots things into the fence. Poirier is defending on the fence thus far. Makhachev looks to switch to a single leg, he elevates Poirier then slips to the back standing as Poirier remained upright but then he rides him down to a knee. Poirier might have tweaked his leg defending that front uchi mata and Makhachev is now in the ride position. Makhachev holds the back as Poirier quad pods up, Poirier hits a switch to force a scramble into another clinch. They trade in the clinch, Poirier lands body shots then eats a knee as they break. Makhachev lands an uppercut then Poirier lands a right hand. Makhachev got cut in there somewhere, it’s on the forehead so probably not a fight ender. Forward pressure from Makhachev and he eats body shots but then shoots a double leg into the fence. Poirier defends on the fence and thinks about a ninja choke as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Poirier but could go the other way, 39-37 Makhachev overall

ROUND FIVE: Makhachev with a combination early. Poirier misses a few punches. Makhachev lands a left hand. Calf kick from Poirier. Makhachev with a single leg but Poirier limp legs free. Makhachev with a combination and a knee to the body then they clinch. Both men land in close then they break. Another clinch and Poirier lands to the body before spinning free. Bit of a right uppercut from Makhachev. Again Makhachev with a combination then Poirier shoves him out of a clinch. Left hand from Poirier connects. Makhachev with a single leg and he spins Poirier down, Poirier climbs back up to one leg but Makhachev pulls him back down then grabs a front headlock. Guillotine attempt from Makhachev, he uses it to roll towards top position, then he switches to a d’arce choke and Poirier taps just before going to sleep.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – and STILL UFC Lightweight Champion Islam Makhachev via Submission, d’arce choke, at 2:42 of Round 5

The Final Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Makhachev for his work this evening. Mic time for the champ, he puts over Poirier for giving him a very tough fight and calls him a legend. He talks us through the finish and says he can always do a d’arce as it’s a favorite choke of his. Asked about the future he wants to fight for the welterweight title, that’s ambitious to say the least.

Poirier gets an interview as well, he says he messed up his knee briefly but overall he’s good. He thought he was doing a good job here and he stopped most of the takedowns but at the end there was a low single leg into a whip of the leg that put him down and that was it. He mentions not being sure if he’s going to keep fighting just to keep fighting but admits this could be it for him. If this is his last fight he dedicates the whole journey to his grandmother who’s passed, his mother who always had his back, his wife and his daughter who he is very proud of. Well there’s no way to follow that speech.

Well on that emotional note, UFC 302 comes to a close. Thank you all very much for reading along, be that live or after the fact. We’ll be breaking down all the fallout from this event on the 411 Ground and Pound MMA Podcast plus look ahead to next week and UFC on ESPN 57. I’ll be back next week to cover that event and I hope you’ll be back as well. Until then thank you again for reading, stay safe out there, and keep checking 411mania for all of your pop culture needs.