UFC 302 is just around the corner, and so is Dustin Poirier‘s return to action. The 35-year-old will take on the ruler of the lightweight division, Islam Makhachev in the main event at the Prudential Center in Newark. Poirier was last seen inside the Octagon at UFC 299 when he took on Benoit Saint-Denis. He won the fight via knockout and will look to maintain his winning ways when he takes on the 155-pound champion.

Poirier, the former interim lightweight champion, is one of the most complete fighters in the roaster. However, he has to bring out his A-game when he takes on Makhachev. Let us have a look at a detailed analysis of the 35-year-old’s fighting style.

Striking, wrestling, grappling: Everything about Dustin Poirier’s fighting style

Dustin Poirier has a reputation for being one of the hardest punchers in the lightweight division. Along with his punching prowess, the 35-year-old has a conditioning second to none. Poirier is a southpaw whose versatility allows him to throw punches and kicks from a balanced stance.

He also has a devastating check hook, as can be seen in his fights against Michael Chandler and Conor McGregor. Poirier was the first fighter to finish the Irishman on the feet in MMA. Further, he out-struck McGregor in all three of their fights. Not an easy feat considering McGregor’s striking acumen.

In terms of significant strikes, Poirier outpointed McGregor 10-9 in the first bout, 48-29 in the second bout, and 36-27 in the third bout. Of the 29 wins Poirier has on his record, 52% (15 wins) came by way of a knockout or a TKO, proving how dangerous he is on the feet. But that’s not all there is to his arsenal.

Poirier not only uses his striking ability but also uses his wrestling skills during a fight. Previously in the featherweight division, the 35-year-old often relied on his wrestling to overwhelm the opponents.

He has a unique style where he leans more on strength rather than speed. There have been instances in his fight where he has taken the fight to the mat and used different trips and foot sweeps. Defensively, Poirier has always been very solid. He has a strong sprawl and comes out on top when pushed back to the cage.

He impressed everyone with his wrestling against Khabib Nurmagomedov. However, ‘The Eagle’ in his prime was a completely different prospect altogether, and he did come out on top against ‘ The Diamond’. Poirier also uses Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in his fights, but is he a black belt? Let us find out.

Is Dustin Poirier a BJJ Black Belt?

‘The Diamond’ began his Brazilian jiu-jitsu training under Tim Credeur (Black Belt). He started training BJJ way back in 2012 at American Top Team and received his black belt in 2017. He puts his practice into full use and has finished seven of his opponents via submission. Inside the Octagon, he has successfully used and ironically fallen to the same two chokes – the rear-naked choke and the D’arce choke.

The last win he registered in the UFC was against Michael Chandler at UFC 281, which came by way of a third-round submission (rear-naked choke). After the bout, during the Octagon interview, Poirier said, “Who ain’t go Jiu-Jitsu?” This was in response to some comments from the divisional champion Islam Makhachev about his contemporaries being BJJ black belts without having much to show for it.

Poirier has done everything in the UFC but winning an undisputed title. The goal remains the same as he inches closer to June 1. But the next fight could be an uphill task for the Louisiana native.

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Islam Makhachev is on a 13-fight winning streak and currently holds a record of 25-1 and is as devastating on the feet as he is proficient on the ground. It will be interesting to see how ‘ The Diamond’ will use his skills against the hard-hitting Dagestan native. Who do you think will win the fight at UFC 302? Let us know in the comments below.

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