Highlights
- Dustin Poirier has confirmed that he broke his nose, his rib, and partially tore his ACL during his fight with Islam Makhachev at UFC 302.
- Diamond has now shared the x-ray of his broken nose on social media.
- The break happened after an accidental clash of heads midway through the fight, but quickly after, the American was then kneed right in the face by the lightweight champion.
It has been a few days since the spectacular UFC 302 event came to a close, with Islam Makhachev beating Dustin Poirier in the main event to retain his lightweight title, much to the frustration of his heavily wounded opponent.
Although Poirier, 35, fell short in his third attempt at claiming this belt, he demonstrated huge amounts of resilience against the UFC’s No.1 pound-for-pound fighter, while putting on a spectacular show. He survived multiple submission attempts and fought off a series of takedowns before succumbing to a late choke in the final round, doing so with a lengthy list of injuries.
Dustin Poirier’s Injuries From UFC 302
Diamond broke his nose, his rib and also partially tore his ACL
Writing on X, formerly known as Twitter, shortly after his loss, he wrote: “Nose is broken bad, rib is broken, and my ACL is partially torn,” leaving his future in the sport in severe doubt.
However, despite going almost five rounds with one of the deadliest men in the UFC, Poirier has revealed that his broken nose was actually sustained from an accidental clash of heads between the pair in the third round, not from any of the brutal punches or takedowns that the Russian rained down on him.
A video posted on X by Championship Rounds shows the exact moment this incident occurred, with a picture of his x-ray paired alongside, showing just how much damage it really did.
As for his broken rib, Yves Edwards, Poirier’s coach, revealed that his preparations for the fight were limited, and he was already dealing with a rib injury during the final weeks of training, suggesting it was exacerbated during this clash.
After the fight, Poirier said: “I know I can compete with the rest of these guys, but if I do, am I fighting just to fight? I have a little girl and a family at home, but I have got to see what’s next. This could be it.”
UFC 302 Salaries for Islam Makhachev, Dustin Poirier & Sean Strickland
The expected payouts for UFC 302 have been released, and it was a big payday for Islam Makhachev, Dustin Poirier, and Sean Strickland.
What Next For Dustin Poirier & Islam Makhachev
Poirier received an indefinite suspension from the New Jersey State Athletic Control Board and is sidelined indefinitely due to the severity, suggesting this really could be the end of his impressive UFC career at the age of 35.
As for Makachev, he has his sights set on rising to the 170-pound division and winning the welterweight belt, but he faces stiff competition for it. He would have to take on Leon Edwards, who is currently unbeaten since 2015 and boasts an impressive 22-3 record, meaning it would be the toughest challenge of Makachev’s career to-date.
After his win, he said: “I want to fight for the second belt. I want to feel that energy again. When you defend your belt, it’s not the same.”
Edwards has since responded and is believed to be up for a champion vs champion clash, but the timing is not right just yet as he faces Belal Muhammad in July to defend his crown.
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