UFC 302 results, full fight card highlights: Islam Makhachev submits Dustin Poirier, Khabritak 
It's fight night in New Jersey.
UFC is bringing its next pay-per-view to the Prudential Center with UFC 302, where 12 bouts will take place Saturday night. The main event is the UFC Lightweight Championship contest between champion Islam Makhachev and Dustin Poirier, who looks to officially win the title and add another chapter in his storied career.
The co-main event will be a middleweight bout between the controversial Sean Strickland and Paulo Costa. The event will start what is expected to be a thrilling month for UFC that includes the return of Conor McGregor June 29 vs. Michael Chandler.
Follow USA TODAY Sports for live updates from UFC 302:
UFC 302 results: Islam Makhachev submits Dustin Poirier in final round to retain title
Islam Makhachev was far from the most popular fighter to enter the ring Saturday night, but he proved he’s still the best. The UFC’s top pound-for-pound fighter retained his lightweight title with a submission victory against Dustin Poirier.
It was hardly easy. It took five rounds, but Makhachev finally was able to lock Poirier into a D'Arce choke and got "The Diamond" to tap.
Makhachev secured a takedown in the first minute of the fight and there things stayed for the remainder of the first round. The fans in New Jersey, who chanted “USA” multiple times during the match in support of the American Poirier against his Russian foe, grew restless but Makhachev was undeterred – he spent the rest of the round either on top or underneath Poirier attempting to lock in different chokes and holds.
Round two nearly went to the ground in the first 15 seconds but Poirier was able to escape and thwarted a second takedown attempt. The fight stayed on the feet until the closing seconds, when Makhachev finally got Poirier on the ground.
Makhachev landed multiple early knees in the third round – which appeared to do some damage to Poirier’s nose – before forcing a takedown. But Poirier managed to get back up with a little more than two minutes to go.
By the fourth round Poirier’s nose was leaking pretty consistently but a huge cut was opened up on Makhachev’s face, too, turning the affair into a bloody mess.
It seemed like it might be anyone's fight in the fifth before Makhachev made his winning moves to earn the stoppage at 2:42 of the fifth and final round.
Makhachev expressed his desire to fight for a second bout, moving up to welterweight.
UFC 302 results: Sean Strickland earns split-decision victory
A relentless Sean Strickland defeated Paulo Costa by split decision in the co-main event of UFC 302.
Strickland, back in action for the first time since he lost the middleweight championship to Dricus Du Plessis in January, spent the early rounds of the fight in an inexorable march forward. Costa, constantly in retreat, hit the canvas briefly a few times but otherwise the fighters remained on their feet.
That remained (pretty much) true throughout, but Costa finally started to hold his ground in the fourth. But by then it was probably too late – and Strickland finished with a flourish that briefly landed Costa on the canvas again.
After the scorecards were read – 49-46 Costa, 50-45 Strickland, 49-46 Strickland – Strickland exited the cage to greet and take a photo with former President Donald Trump, who was sitting cageside.
Strickland said it was a “boring fight” and he apologized to the crowd in his in-ring interview. He also gave a shoutout to Trump and said it’s a "travesty what they’re doing to you.” (Trump was convicted this week on 34 counts of falsifying business records.)
UFC 302 results: Kevin Holland scores TKO win with nasty armbar
The bout between Kevin Holland and Michal Oleksiejczuk was a short one, but eventful.
Oleksiejczuk rocked Holland, sending him to the mat. But Holland expertly maneuvered out of danger and got Oleksiejczuk into a nasty armbar. It looked painful — frankly, it was gross. Analysts Joe Rogan and Daniel Cormier were adamant that Oleksiejczuk's arm either broke or he dislocated something; referee Herb Dean called the fight shortly after. Oleksiejczuk immediately protested the decision while Holland ran out of the cage to greet former President Donald Trump, who was sitting cageside.
UFC 302 results: Niko Price outlasts Alex Morono in rematch
Niko Price has won another fight against Alex Morono. But unlike Price’s first win at UFC Fight Night 104 in 2017, where Price knocked out Morono (in what was later ruled a no contest due to Price's positive marijuana test), Saturday’s fight between the two went the distance.
Morono came out strong and landed several punches, but Morono appeared to be completely gassed, allowing Price to take control for an unanimous win (29-28, 29-28, 29-28).
'Jersey Shore' stars in attendance at UFC 302
We have a situation on our hands. An event in New Jersey wouldn’t be complete without members from MTV’s “Jersey Shore” on hand. Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino and Vinny Guadagnino are in the building for UFC 302 and earned a loud applause from the crowd.
UFC 302 results: Randy Brown survives, defeats Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos
Randy Brown appeared seconds away from submitting, but he pulled off a stunning turnaround to defeat Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) in their welterweight bout.
Dos Santos appeared to be poked in the eye, but the referee didn’t stop the match for dos Santos to recover. Brown caught dos Santos in the head with a knee to end the first round. Dos Santos came out swinging in the second round and took down Brown. Dos Santos ended up on Brown’s back and nearly secured a submission but Brown escaped, completed a stunning reverse and nearly submitted dos Santos himself.
Both came out swinging in the third round, but Brown was called for another poke. Brown caught dos Santos with a knee again, followed up by a couple of landed jabs to secure his win.
