Returning to the Octagon for the first time since his dominating win over Conor McGregor at UFC 229 (which earned him a suspension following the post-fight brawl), lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov showed no signs of rust from the hiatus.
Nurmagomedov wasted little time, opening the first round with an aggressive leg takedown that put interim champion Dustin Poirier on the defensive. Nurmagomedov continuously worked to submit Poirier before unleashing a series of strikes to close the round.
Poirier showed came out a little more aggressive in the second with a bit more pressure that forced Nurmagomedov on the defensive. The pressure didn't last long as fatigue started to set in for Poirier. Nurmagomedov adjusted accordingly and took the fight back to the canvas where his expert wrestling took control. A few more punches opened up a cut on Poirier, who was clearly fatigued by the end of the round.
In a surprising twist in the third, Poirier almost locked in a guillotine choke, but Nurmagomedov remained composed and battled through it. With Poirier fatigued and his arms tired, Khabib softened him up and locked in his own rear-naked choke to earn the submission win midway through the third round.
Khabib Nurmagomedov handled this win with far more grace, leaping out the Octagon and hugging UFC president Dana White before returning to give Poirier props for a well-fought match. During his post-fight speech, Nurmagomedov emphasized respect in the UFC.
It was Khabib Nurmagomedov's second title defense. He is now a perfect 28-0.