Dustin Poirier stood in the center of the Octagon, welts and cuts dotting his reddened face. Seconds earlier, he tapped to a D'Arce choke in the final round of his lightweight title fight with the great Islam Makhachev, and lost what almost certainly was his last crack at an undisputed UFC championship.
Yet, like he had throughout a 15-year MMA career and a 13-year journey in the UFC, Poirier stood tall and conducted himself with dignity and class following his loss Saturday in the main event of UFC 302 at The Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.
"I know I can compete with the best of these guys," Poirier said. "But if I do fight again, what I am fighting for?"
Poirier fought for a reason and with purpose, to make a better life for himself and, later, his young family. His wife, Jolie, and his daughter, Parker, stood outside the Octagon as he spoke in the immediate aftermath of his defeat. Parker fought off tears. Jolie smiled lovingly at her husband.
They saw a guy who did it the right way, who was one of the best of his generation, who represented everything that is right about mixed martial arts.
He is no loser despite the check that went into the loss column on Saturday. This is a guy, after all, with two wins over Max Holloway, two over Conor McGregor and individual wins over Justin Gaethje, Eddie Alvarez, Anthony Pettis, Dan Hooker, Bobby Green, Michael Chandler, Benoit Saint Denis, Jim Miller and so many more. He helped make the UFC what it is: The world's elite combat sports promoter.
The promoters can, as UFC CEO Dana White likes to say, put on "the bells and whistles," but they can't fight for the athletes. It's up to them to perform, to draw the fans out of their seats and to bring them back repeatedly. MMA at the highest level is like a drug that addicts you and won't let you out of its grasp. You never know what's going to happen next, and how. Who possibly could have seen Kevin Holland not only winning by submission on Saturday earlier on the card against Michal Oleksiejczuk but bending Oleksiejczuk's arm in ways it's not anatomically designed to go?
Poirier has been a thrill a minute in his career and registered more than his share of what White calls "holy shit" moments. But on Saturday, he just ran into someone who simply was too good. Makhachev was too gifted for Poirier, who kept fighting off takedowns throughout and who changed the tenor of the fight in the fourth with a brutal elbow that opened a crater-sized wound on Makhachev's forehead. Makhachev, though, has so many tools in his arsenal and he eventually finds a way to carry out the mission.
On Saturday, he got Poirier down with an ankle pick and then dove on him to slap on the D'Arce the way T.J. Watt dives on a loose ball during a critical portion of a Pittsburgh Steelers' game.
"Dustin is a great champion, and a legend," Makhachev said, accurately, in tribute.
Poirier, who grew up incredibly poor in rural Louisiana, earned riches in the Octagon but never forgot his own struggles. He worked tirelessly for charitable causes, donating his time, money and energy to help the less fortunate. He's retiring as a fighter, perhaps, but the guy who thinks of just about everyone before he thinks of himself isn't going anywhere.
He's still going to not only raise money to build playgrounds, but he'll get out there and donate his time and talents to help build the thing.
When it was over and he'd tapped his submission before briefly fading into unconsciousness, he saw long-time rival Khabib Nurmagomedov and made a beeline for him. Nurmagomedov beat Poirier by submission in a 2019 lightweight title bout and on Saturday, was coaching in Makhachev's corner. The two embraced and chatted like old friends before Nurmagomedov raised Poirier's arm and walked him around the Octagon, urging the crowd to cheer him on.
He could have done the same for Makhachev, who performed brilliantly against a talented and well-prepared opponent. Nurmagomedov knew, though, that there would be other times to celebrate Makhachev, who said after the bout he wants to move up to welterweight to challenge for the title there.
He'd be favored to beat the winner of the title fight between champion Leon Edwards and challenger Belal Muhammad at UFC 304 on July 27 in Manchester, England, if the UFC opts to give him that shot. There will be plenty of time to celebrate Makhachev's greatness. He's the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world and only getting better.
The story on this night and the reason to celebrate was 35-year-old Dustin Glenn Poirier, who has been the epitome of grace and class from begin
ning to end.
Few have done it better and if, indeed, Saturday was it for him, the city of Lafayette, La., came out a winner, too, on Saturday: Dustin Poirier is going to be hanging around there a lot, and you know he'll do so much more for the folks who need it most.
Joe Camporeale/USA Today Sports
Lightweight champion Islam Makhachev (R) celebrates after submitting Dustin Poirier at UFC 302 to retain his lightweight title.