UFC returns to New Jersey for UFC 302. Lightweights collide as Islam Makhachev defends the UFC lightweight title against fan favorite Dustin Poirier.
Makhachev is a multiple gold medalist in Combat Sambo and is 14-1 in the UFC. On a thirteen fight winning streak, he defeated Charles Oliveira for the lightweight title. It is the first time Makhachev defends the belt against someone in his pision, as his last two fights have been victories against former UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski.
LOOK: 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 most Fight of the Night bonuses (nine) in UFC history. “The Diamond” is 2-2 in his last four fights, and the former UFC interim lightweight champion hopes the third time is the charm when it comes to competing for gold.
Former UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland takes on former contender Paulo Costa in a rare five-round co-main event. Also on the card will be Randy Brown, with seven wins by knockout and five by submission, against Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos, undefeated since 2020. Heavyweight Jailton Almeida looks to break into the top five against Alexander Romanov, while Tatsuro Taira is set to steal the show at flyweight.
Below is all the information you need to watch UFC 302, including when the event will begin and when the main event will make its way to the ring.
UFC 302 start time
- Date: Saturday 1 June
- Time: 10 pm ET (8 pm ET for prelims) | 3:00am BST (Sunday) | 12:00 pm AEST (Sunday)
- Location: Prudential Center – Newark, New Jersey
The first prelims for UFC 302 begin at 6 p.m. ET, and the prelims at 8 p.m. ET. The main card airs at 10 pm ET. Makhachev and Poirier should arrive at the octagon around 12:15 a.m. ET, depending on how long the preliminary fights last.
BUY NOW: Cheapest ticket prices for UFC 302 on StubHub
How to watch the UFC 302 prelims
The prelims, which will begin at 8 pm ET, will air on ESPN and ESPN+. It will also be broadcast via fubo that offers a Free Trial so you can watch the preliminaries at no additional cost.
The prelims will see New Jersey’s Mickey Gall back in action against Bassil Hafez, while top heavyweight contender Jailton Almeida will take on the dangerous Alexander Romanov.
How to watch the main card of UFC 302
- US: ESPN+ ($79.99 PPV rate plus $10.99/month membership)
- UNITED KINGDOM: TNT Sports (￡3.99/month or ￡39.99/year through Discovery+)
- Canada: DAZN ($69.99)
- Watch from anywhere via NordVPN (30 days money back guarantee)
UFC 302 is available on ESPN+ and ESPN+ PPV in the US, TNT Sports in the UK and DAZN in Canada.
If UFC 302 is not available to watch live in your location or if you are traveling abroad, you can use a virtual private network (VPN). VPNs provide a secure and private online connection, allowing you to bypass geo-restrictions to access your favorite streaming services from any device anywhere in the world.
WATCH FROM ANYWHERE: Sign up for NordVPN (30 days money back guarantee)
UFC 302 fight card, odds
Principal card
- Islam Makhachev (c) (-500) vs. Dustin Poirier (+375) for the UFC lightweight title
- Sean Strickland (-225) against Paulo Costa (+180); Middle weights
- Kevin Holland (-250) vs. Michal Oleksiejczuk (+200); Middle weights
- Alex Morono (-225) against Niko Price (+185); welterweights
- Randy Brown (-185) vs. Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos (+250); welterweights
Preliminaries
- Jailton Almeida (-250) against Alexander Romanov (+200); heavy weights
- Roman Kopylov (-140) vs. César Almeida (+115); Middle weights
- Grant Dawson (-350) vs. Joe Solecki (+270); Light weights
- Jake Matthews (-150) vs. Philip Rowe (+125); welterweights
First preliminaries
- Bassil Hafez (-300) against Mickey Gall (+240); welterweights
- Ailin Pérez (-200) vs. Joselyne Edwards (+165); Bantamweights
- Mitch Raposo (+200) against André Lima (250); fly weights
*betting odds courtesy of BetMGM
Upcoming UFC television schedule
| Date | Event | Location | how to watch |
| June 1, 2024 | UFC 302: Makhachev vs. Poirier | Prudential Center, Newark, USA | ESPN+ |
| June 8, 2024 | Gunship against Imavov | KFC How delicious! Downtown, Louisville, USA | ESPN+ |
| June 15, 2024 | Pérez against 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+ |
