Penalty Imposed for UFC 302: Islam Makhachev and Dustin Poirier Headlined Card Fighter Fined as Andre Lima Failed to Make Weight

UFC 302 is just a few hours away, and the fans are super excited about the upcoming event. Some of the best fighters in the promotion are desperate to showcase their skills in front of thousands. The official weigh-ins have been completed, and it seems that Andre Lima will be fined. Lima will be taking on Mitch Raposo in the flyweight division. The Brazilian impressed one and all with his previous performance and will be up against a very competitive Raposo in the card headlined by Islam Makhachev and Dustin Poirier. Before his clash, let us find out the consequences the 25-year-old had to face for missing the weight.

According to the latest development, the clash between Lima and Raposo will happen as per schedule. However, there will be a fine imposed on the Brazilian which is believed to be around 30% of his purse. Lima competes in the flyweight division and missed the weight by four pounds, thus leading to the fine. Guilherme Cruz shared a post on X that read, “Andre Lima missed weight for his UFC 302 flyweight fight with Mitch Raposo, coming in at 130 pounds. Lima’s manager told me the fight is on and he’s fined 30% of his purse (show and win, if victorious) for the big miss.“

Luckily for the fans, they will witness the flyweight action at UFC 302. Meanwhile, one of the biggest attractions of the event is the lightweight clash between Islam Makhachev and Dustin Poirier. The battle is special, as both fighters have completely different fighting styles. Poirier is known for his outstanding striking skills, which was pretty evident in his last outing at UFC 299. However, he will have to deal with the wrestling skills of Makhachev, which is second to none.

Both the fighters have completed their intense training camps before their epic UFC 302 clash. The 32-year-old has a slight advantage with ‘The Eagle’ returning to the camp. Khabib Nurmagomedov faced Poirier at UFC 242 and scored a stunning victory via submission in the third round. He shared his experience of facing ‘The Diamond’ in the UFC 302 countdown video as the Dagestani fighters handed a reality check to the 35-year-old.

Dustin Poirier given a reality check by the Dagestani camp before UFC 302

Despite retiring from the sport in 2020, ‘The Eagle’ has now returned, much to the delight of the fans. The 29-0 fighter will watch Makhachev from close quarters at UFC 302. His first-hand experience of facing Poirier five years back will help Makhachev in his next fight. In the UFC 302 countdown video, he shared his firsthand experience of facing ‘The Diamond’ and it seems not much has changed in his game. Khabib claimed, “I already defeated Dustin nearly five years ago. If people are asking if he’s made significant changes then, I don’t think so.” 

Talking about Makhachev, the 32-year-old has always been confident in his wrestling skills. Despite being a champion of the sport, he constantly looks to add extra dimensions to his game. Before his next big fight, Makhachev said, “Everybody knows Dustin’s game because this guy has been in this sport for many years, and he has always fought the same. It’s not a secret; He has good boxing, and he uses it. That’s why I have to be ready.” 

Poirier, on the other hand, has made it clear in most of his interviews that he would knock out the champion. His striking is second to none and can cause an upset, as predicted by most MMA experts.

Who do you think will win the fight at UFC 302? Let us know in the comments below.