Dustin Poirier is up for his championship bout against Islam Makhachev at UFC 302 following an emphatic knockout win over Benoit Saint-Denis. ‘The Diamond’ has proven time and time again that he’s one of the best lightweights in the division. And all of this skill could only come from a top-class team and a place that helped strengthen Poirier’s foundations as an MMA fighter.

Dustin Poirier’s last win was an important one because in the fight before that, against Justin Gaethje at UFC 291, he was knocked out clean with a kick to the head. This was their second meeting since the first fight back in 2018 and this time, Poirier suffered a knockout loss in the very second round. Now, against Khabib Nurmagomedov‘s protege, he prepared to bring his best self. His training says just that and his coaches are always behind him. Here’s more about them.

Where does Dustin Poirier train?

Dustin Poirier is a member of the American Top Team, an MMA gym located in Coconut Creek, Florida. Poirier has impressive striking and can also out-grapple his opponents if he chooses to do so. However, known for his striking prowess, Poirier knows just how much power it takes to knock someone out.

His striking coach, Mike Brown fully believes in the fighter. Right before ‘The Diamond’ took down Michael Chandler, Coach Brown had big things to say about him when he spoke with MMA Fighting. “Dustin comes to fight every time,” Brown said. “Every time it’s going to be crazy exciting, you’re going to be biting your nails. He gets in the heat, he gets in it quick. I like when he slows things down but I don’t think he’s got it in him.”

“Every bone in his body says kill, kill, kill and he’s in there to take the guy out as quick as you can.”  Of course, Dustin Poirier went on to win the fight in the third round at the 2-minute mark successfully submitting Chandler. Can he do the same against Islam Makhachev?

Islam Makhachev has been on a tear with a 13-fight winning streak. Dustin Poirier has never fought him before since their paths never crossed each other. He’s only fought Islam Makhachev’s mentor once, where he lost. Will that be a problem? Apparently not because he’s all set to fight him at 302 with a roster of impressive teammates backing him up.

Some of Poirier’s teammates

Dustin Poirier is teammates with the likes of the reigning flyweight champion of the UFC, Alexandre Pantoja. Pantoja recently secured a brilliant unanimous decision win against Steve Erceg at UFC 301 further cementing his legacy as a champion. Even rising UFC contender Mateusz Gamrot is a notable teammate of Poirier’s

Moreover, there are also other amazing fighters on Poirier’s team such as Jorge Masvidal who retired last year after giving the UFC some fantastic fights like that 5-second KO against Ben Askren. Yoel Romero is also one of Poirier’s teammates and so is Johnny Eblen.

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Both the fighters currently belong to Bellator, ‘Soldier of God’ of course, used to fight within the UFC before leaving and joining the other promotion. Eblen, meanwhile, has never lost a single fight in his 15-fight career. Clearly, a team filled with raw talent and skill. How are you expecting Dustin Poirier to perform against Islam Makhachev? Let us know in the comments.

Also Read: Dustin Poirier Claims UFC’s Bold Decision Saved Him a “Bunch of Money”: “I’m Glad It Happened”