Dustin Poirier (image via UFC/YouTube)

By FCF Staff

Islam Makhachev is holding the UFC’s lightweight title, but Michael Bisping believes Dustin Poirier has the champ beat in terms of overall records.

Poirier is preparing to face Makhachev at UFC 302 this Saturday, which will take place in Newark, New Jersey. The fight will be Makchachev’s third since he won the lightweight championship in 2022, by submitting Charles Oliveira.

During a recent episode of the “Believe You Me” podcast, Bisping reviewed the resumes of both men, and the former middleweight champ outlined why he thinks Poirier’s is much better (quotes via MMA Fighting.com).

“When you look at the record of Dustin Poirier and you compare it to Islam Makhachev’s, Dustin’s record smokes Islam’s,” Bisping said. “Which sounds like I’m being disrespectful to Islam. I’m not, but when you look at Islam, yeah, fought Bobby Green then it was for the belt against [Charles] Oliveira. 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 (30-8) is coming off a knockout win over Saint Denis in March and has gone 3-2 in his last 5 fights.

Makhachev (25-1), meanwhile, knocked out Alexander Volkvanovski in his last outing, which took place in October. The champion is riding a 13-fight winning streak.