When is Dustin Poirier fighting next, and who is his opponent?

UFC lightweight contender Dustin Poirier is one of the biggest names in mixed martial arts, and he’s hoping to capitalize on a big opportunity in late spring.

Poirier’s single bout in 2023 didn’t go his way — Justin Gaethje knocked him out with a head kick during their UFC 291 “BMF” title fight. But, after taking some time off, he recalibrated and returned to the winning column in March when he halted Benoit Saint Denis’ momentum at UFC 299. It was a gutsy performance that ended with “The Diamond” taking out the Frenchman with strikes.

The victory didn’t just recharge Poirier’s legendary career. It also lined him up for another shot at undisputed gold.

The promotion’s CEO, Dana White, revealed at the UFC 300 post-fight press conference that Poirier would headline UFC 302 opposite 155-pound champion Islam Makhachev. The event is set to take place at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, on June 1, 2024, as the first of two UFC pay-per-view cards that month. The five-round co-main event will feature former UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland’s rebound attempt as he faces another striker looking to return to his winning ways in Paulo Costa. The event is still being booked, so expect more announcements for UFC 302 in the coming weeks.

UFC 302 will mark Poirier’s 40th professional MMA bout — he has a record of 30-8 with one no-contest, which includes 15 wins via KO/TKO and eight by submission. It’ll be the former interim lightweight champion’s third crack at the division’s undisputed belt, something he attempted to claim at UFC 269 against Charles Oliveira and UFC 242 against Khabib Nurmagomedov.

For him to finally summit the proverbial mountain top, he’ll have to take it from the promotion’s No. 1 pound-for-pound combatant. Despite one hiccup in 2015, Makhachev has remained unbeaten in 26 matches. He’s on a 13-fight win streak, which includes his title-winning effort against ex-champ Charles Oliveira and finishes over the likes of Dan Hooker, Bobby Green, and Thiago Moises.

But, it’s what he’s done in his past two contests that has elevated him to the position he’s in. Makhachev earned back-to-back victories over Alexander Volkanovski, the then-featherweight champion, in 2023. The Dagastani talent was triumphant in their first encounter by snagging a razor-thin unanimous decision. However, he emphatically ended the competitive rivalry at UFC 294 in October by knocking out Volkanovski with a head kick.

The fight with Poirier will be Makhachev’s third title defense, and it’ll likely bring in a lot of eyeballs considering his global star power and Poirier’s American fame.