Top American UFC lightweight fighter Dustin Poirier confirmed the information that he injured his ribs before his fight with lightweight division champion Islam Makhachev.
I bust my ribs in camp, but, of course, I don't wanna like talk about that. I don't think it changed anything or the way I fought. Just my wife wanted me to [withdraw], but I wasn't gonna. It was too close though, man. I was already halfway through camp, I was like I'm fighting for the belt. I was halfway through training and I'm fighting for the lightweight title, like I wasn't pulling out.
Dustin Poirier
Recall, on June 2 in Newark (USA) Poirier lost to Makhachev by choke in the fifth round at UFC 302.
The 35-year-old Poirier previously entered the octagon in March 2024 at UFC 299, defeating Benoit Saint-Denis by knockout in the second round. He has 30 wins and nine losses on his record. One fight was ruled a no contest.
Makhachev, 32, last fought at UFC 294 in October 2023, defeating Alexander Volkanovski by first-round knockout. He has 26 wins and one loss under his belt.