Yahoo Sports MMA contributor Ben Fowlkes shares his reaction to UFC 302 with three quick thoughts. The main event between Islam Makhachev and Dustin Poirier turned out to be much closer than expected, despite Makhachev being the favorite. Fowlkes notes that while Makhachev’s striking has improved, he remains a grappling-first fighter. On the other hand, Poirier deserves credit for making the fight more competitive than anticipated.
Fowlkes also highlights Poirier’s tenacity and ability to adjust mid-fight, which kept him in contention despite being the underdog on paper. If this is Poirier’s last fight, Fowlkes suggests that fans should appreciate him more during his career.
Lastly, Fowlkes calls for the UFC to show appreciation to both Makhachev and Poirier by giving them an extra bonus for saving what would have otherwise been a lackluster fight card. While there were some notable moments in other fights, such as Kevin Holland’s unique submission and Sean Strickland’s victory over Paulo Costa, the main event truly stole the show. Fowlkes hopes that the UFC acknowledges the efforts of both main event fighters in making UFC 302 memorable.
