Daniel Yanofsky
and others
• 5 min read
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The UFC returns to New Jersey for UFC 302. Lightweights collide when Islam Makhachev defends the UFC lightweight title against fan favorite Dustin Poirier.
Makhachev is a multi-time Combat Sambo gold medalist and is 14-1 in the UFC. On a thirteen-fight win streak, he beat Charles Oliveira for the lightweight title. It is Makhachev’s first time defending the belt against someone in his division, as his last two contests have been wins against former UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski.
WATCH:UFC 302:Islam Makhachev vs. Dustin Poirier, exclusively on ESPN+
Poirier joined the UFC in 2011 and is 22-7 with one no-contest in the octagon. He holds or has tied several UFC records, including the mostFightof the Night bonuses (nine) in UFC history. “The Diamond” is 2-2 in his last four fights, and the former interim UFC lightweight champion hopes the third time is the charm when it comes to competing for gold.
Former UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland faces former contender Paulo Costa in a rare five-round co-main event. Also on the card will be Randy Brown, with seven wins via knockout and five via submission, facing Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos, unbeaten since 2020. Heavyweight Jailton Almeida looks to enter the top five against Alexander Romanov, while Tatsuro Taira is ready to steal the show at flyweight.
Below is all the information you need to catch UFC 302 including when the event will start and when the main event will make their ring walk.
UFC 302 start time
- Date: Saturday, June 1
- Time: 10 p.m. ET (8 p.m. ET for prelims) | 3:00 a.m BST(Sun) | 12:00 p.m. AEST (Sun)
- Location: Prudential Center — Newark, New Jersey
UFC 302 early prelims begin at 6 p.m. ET, with the prelims at 8 p.m. ET. The main card airs at 10 p.m. ET.Makhachev and Poirier should make their way to the octagon around 12:15 a.m. ET, depending on how long the undercard fights last.
BUY NOW:Cheapest ticket prices for UFC 302 on StubHub
How to watch UFC 302 prelims
The prelims, starting at 8 p.m. ET, will air on ESPN and ESPN+. It will also be streamed viaFubowhich offers a free trialso you can watch the prelims at no extra cost.
The prelims will have New Jersey's Mickey Gall back in action against Bassil Hafez, while top heavyweight contender Jailton Almeida faces the dangerous Alexander Romanov.
How to watch UFC 302 main card
- US:ESPN+ ($79.99 PPV fee plus $10.99/month membership)
- UK: TNT Sports (￡3.99/month or ￡39.99/year via discovery+)
- Canada: DAZN ($69.99)
- Watch from anywhere via NordVPN (30-day money-back guarantee)
UFC 302 is available on ESPN+ and ESPN+ PPV in the U.S., TNT Sports in the U.K., and DAZN in Canada.
If UFC 302 is not available to watch live in your location or if you’re traveling abroad, you can use a Virtual Private Network (VPN). VPNs provide a secure and private online connection, allowing you to bypass geographical restrictions to access your favorite streaming services from any device anywhere in the world.
WATCH FROM ANYWHERE:Sign up for NordVPN(30-day money back guarantee)
UFC 302 fight card, odds
Main Card
- Islam Makhachev (c) (-500) vs. Dustin Poirier (+375) for the UFC lightweight title
- Sean Strickland (-225) vs. Paulo Costa (+180); Middleweights
- Kevin Holland (-250) vs. Michal Oleksiejczuk (+200); Middleweights
- Alex Morono (-225) vs. Niko Price (+185); Welterweights
- Randy Brown (-185)vs. Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos (+250); Welterweights
Prelims
- Jailton Almeida (-250) vs. Alexander Romanov (+200); Heavyweights
- Roman Kopylov (-140)vs. Cesar Almeida (+115); Middleweights
- Grant Dawson (-350) vs. Joe Solecki (+270); Lightweights
- Jake Matthews (-150)vs. Philip Rowe (+125); Welterweights
Early Prelims
- Bassil Hafez (-300)vs. Mickey Gall (+240); Welterweights
- Ailin Perez (-200) vs. Joselyne Edwards (+165); Bantamweights
- Mitch Raposo (+200) vs. Andre Lima (250); Flyweights
*betting odds courtesy of BetMGM
Upcoming UFC TV schedule
| Date | Event | Location | How to watch |
| June 1, 2024 | UFC 302:Makhachev vs. Poirier | Prudential Center, Newark, USA | ESPN+ |
| June 8, 2024 | Cannonier vs.Imavov | KFC Yum! Center, Louisville, USA | ESPN+ |
| June 15, 2024 | Perez vs.Taira | UFC APEX, Las Vegas, USA | ESPN+ |
| June 22, 2024 | Whittaker vs.Chimaev | Kingdom Arena, Saudi Arabia | ESPN+, ABC |
| June 29, 2024 | UFC 303: McGregor vs. Chandler | T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, USA | ESPN+ |
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Author(s)
Daniel Yanofsky
Daniel Yanofsky is the Combat Sports Editor for The Sporting News since late 2021. Prior to working for TSN, Daniel provided insight on combat sports for Fightful, FIGHT SPORTS, and Wrestling Inc. A proud Ithaca College alum, when he isn’t working on his golf game, Daniel is advocating for three-minute rounds in women's boxing.
You can follow him on Twitter via @DanYanofsky.
