UFC 302 India Time, Fight Card and Preview

LockerRoom Team

30 May 2024

UFC returns this weekend with UFC 302. At UFC 302, lightweight champion Islam Makhachev is set to defend his title against former interim champion and two-time title challenger Dustin Poirier. This highly anticipated match will see Makhachev facing Poirier for the first time as a lightweight contender.

Makhachev, who had a stellar first year as champion, faced Alexander Volkanovski twice. In their initial bout, Makhachev outworked and outlasted the former featherweight champion. In their rematch, he cemented his place at the top of the pound-for-pound rankings by defeating Volkanovski in the first round.

Poirier comes into UFC 302 with momentum from a second-round victory over Benoit Saint Denis at UFC 299, which helped him recover quickly from a knockout loss to Justin Gaethje last summer. This upcoming fight offers Poirier a third chance to win the undisputed title. The bout presents a classic "grappler versus striker" dynamic, with Makhachev aiming to defend his title and Poirier seeking the championship win that has so far eluded him.

In the co-main event, former middleweight champion Sean Strickland will take on perennial contender Paulo Costa in a five-round match. Strickland, who shocked the MMA world by winning the middleweight title last fall, lost the belt in a close contest against Dricus Du Plessis in January, ending his three-fight winning streak. Costa, meanwhile, is coming off a tough battle against Robert Whittaker in February, marking his first time competing twice in the same year since 2017.

With significant middleweight matchups on the horizon, this bout is crucial for both Strickland and Costa. A strong performance could secure their place in the division and potentially lead to a title eliminator later in the year.

UFC 302 Fight Card:

Main Card 

• Islam Makhachev vs Dustin Poirier
• Sean Strickland vs Paulo Costa
• Kevin Holland vs Michal Oleksiejczuk
• Jailton Almeida vs Alexandr Romanov
• Randy Brown vs Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos

UFC 302 Preliminary Card 

• Cesar Almeida vs Roman Kopylov
• Grant Dawson vs Joe Solecki
• Phil Rowe vs Jake Matthews
• Niko Price vs Alex Morono
• Mickey Gall vs Bassil Hafez
• Ailin Perez vs Joselyne Edwards
• Andre Lima vs Mitch Raposo

UFC 302 India Time: Key Timings and Viewing Information

• UFC 302 Early Preliminary Card Start Time:
  • 6 PM ET / 3 PM PT / 10 PM GMT (Saturday, June 1)
  • 3:30 AM IST (Sunday, June 2)
• UFC 302 Preliminary Card Start Time:
  • 8 PM ET / 5 PM PT (Saturday, June 1)
  • 12 AM GMT / 5:30 AM IST (Sunday, June 2)
• UFC 302 Main Card Start Time:
  • 10 PM ET / 7 PM PT (Saturday, June 1)
  • 2 AM GMT / 7:30 AM IST (Sunday, June 2)
• How to Watch UFC 302: Makhachev vs. Poirier in India:
  • Television:
    • Sony Sports Ten 2 (English)
    • Sony Sports Ten 3 (Hindi)
    • Sony Sports Ten 4 (Tamil & Telugu)
  • Live Streaming:
    • Sony LIV

What are your predictions? Let us know in the comments below.