Michael Bisping rates Dustin Poirier’s resume a lot higher than Islam Makhachev’s.
Poirier (30-8 MMA, 22-7 UFC) challenges lightweight champion Makhachev (25-1 MMA, 14-1 UFC) in Saturday’s UFC 302 (pay-per-view/ESPN2/ESPN+) main event at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.
Makhachev is the UFC’s No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter, but Bisping thinks Poirier has the more impressive skins on his wall.
“When you look at the record of Dustin Poirier and you compare it to Islam Makhachev’s, Dustin’s record smokes Islam’s – which sounds like I’m being disrespectful to Islam. I’m not,” Bisping said on his “Believe You Me” podcast. “But when you look at Islam: (He) fought Bobby Green, then it was for the belt against (Charles) Oliveira, then twice against (Alexander) Volkanovski.
“When you look at Poirier, I mean, it’s insane: Max Holloway multiple times, Eddie Alvarez, Justin Gaethje, Anthony Pettis, Conor McGregor three times, Jim Miller, Dan Hooker, Oliveira, (Michael) Chandler, Gaethje again, Benoit Saint Denis. In terms of experience, he’s fought the tougher guys. I think that’s fair to say. Now, competition in common, Islam beat Charles Oliveira whereas Dustin lost.”
Poirier teased the possibility of retirement after fighting Makhachev. Bisping, who endured a similar long road to Poirier before realizing UFC gold, thinks “The Diamond” definitely changes his mind if he wins.
“I think if he wins, he’s going to defend that belt,” Bisping said. “I mean, I had the eye issue. (My wife) Rebecca said, ‘Right, OK, so you finally got your title fight, are you going to retire, win or lose?’ I’m like, ‘Babe, if I lose, I’ll retire. If I win, you’re out of your goddamn mind. We’re getting the big bucks.’
“So I think if Dustin pulls it off, I think we’ll see him stick around. If he loses, then that will be a great time and the perfect send-off. It would be emotional because Dustin’s given the sport so much. He’s been a fantastic ambassador. He’s fought with nothing but his heart and soul.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 302.
