UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev is set to defend his title for a record-breaking fourth time against Arman Tsarukyan at UFC 311, in the year’s first PPV event. Even with this looming challenge, the reigning ‘god-king’ remains focused on learning something from his previous title defense against Dustin Poirier at UFC 302. That fight, widely regarded as one of the best five-round battles in UFC history, saw Poirier push Makhachev to his absolute limits.

Despite the grueling contest, Makhachev emerged victorious and submitted ‘The Diamond’ with a D’Arce choke in the fifth. With the battle against Tsarukyan on the horizon, the Dagestani reflected on the lessons learned from his encounter with Dustin Poirier. During a recent interview with Flyweight GOAT Demetrious Johnson on the official YouTube channel, the reigning champion praised Poirier’s preparation, saying, “Last time I fought Poirier, he prepared really well. He did good homework, and he defended my wrestling.”

Throughout the fight, ‘The Diamond’ successfully thwarted many of Makhachev’s takedown attempts, but in the later rounds, the Dagestani phenom eventually secured a takedown. Despite his success, Makhachev admitted, “I made a lot of mistakes. I also had the Kimura, and when I closed in, I thought it was finished, but I made a mistake a couple of times.” The Louisiana native certainly gave the reigning champion one of his toughest battles, even causing a cut on Makhachev’s forehead.

The Dagestani native recalled, “Man, he gave me a gash.” DJ described the fight as a “war,” and Makhachev agreed, adding that he enjoyed the challenge, saying, “I like the vibe of the fight.” At 33 years old, Islam Makhachev is gearing up for his fourth title defense, with his future in the lightweight division possibly coming to a close.

Regardless of whether he transitions to welterweight or middleweight, the Dagestani ace will probably continue to succeed. A key turning point in his career came when he saw his mentor and close friend, Khabib Nurmagomedov, face a former UFC lightweight powerhouse. This encounter had a profound effect on Makhachev, teaching him the importance of never underestimating his opponents. Let’s explore who that lightweight force was.

The art of adapting: Islam Makhachev and his second coming

MMA GOAT Georges St-Pierre once said, “You can’t be the best guy on the planet. There’s always one guy that will beat you. … There are guys better than you who maybe are not fighting. That’s how the world works.” This sentiment underscores the reality that even the so-called “untouchables,” like the Dagestani fighters, are not invincible. Khabib Nurmagomedov, who retired with an impeccable 29-0 record, remains one of the most dominant fighters in UFC history.

However, despite their undefeated records, even Nurmagomedov and other Dagestani fighters are not immune to tough challenges. One such challenge came from Gleison Tibau, who gave Khabib one of his toughest tests at UFC 148 over a decade ago. At that time, ‘The Eagle’ was still relatively new to the UFC, while Tibau was a seasoned veteran. Tibau successfully defended all 13 of Khabib’s takedown attempts, but despite the struggle, the UFC Hall Of Famer won the fight. This decision sparked widespread debate, with many media outlets and key figures questioning the judges’ scorecards.

Years later, in 2018, Islam Makhachev faced Gleison Tibau, and the memory of Tibau’s performance against ‘The Eagle’ loomed large in Makhachev’s mind. Tibau recalled during an interview with Ushatayka, “Khabib and Islam are always together. Islam is the same: he shows deep respect. I remember that Islam was very nervous before that battle – you could feel it. Because he knew there was a big problem, he saw my fight with Khabib and trained with Khabib. All the time – during a duel of glances, during fight week – I saw that he was nervous.”

Despite the nerves, the current champion wasted no time, knocking out the veteran in the first round at the 00:57 mark, taking no further risks. What are your thoughts on the Islam Makhachev vs. Dustin Poirier fight? Do you believe ‘The Diamond’ truly did his “homework” leading up to the matchup with the reigning champion? Feel free to share your thoughts below.