Poirier is in good spirits here and he and Islam share more words. Gentleman through and through. 

Islam has a nasty cut on the forehead and he speaks with Joe Rogan.

"I think Dustin did a great game. His coaches worked very well and they prepared him very good. He defended my takedowns and gave me a very hard time. He's a champion, legend of the sport. Thank you, Dustin."

Islam says the D'Arce is one of his favorite chokes and he can hit it even when he's tired. He then says it's his dream to fight for a second belt because defending the title isn't the same. He wants to feel the energy of the chase. 

He then thanks Dustin again.

Joe then goes to Poirier who downplays his knee issue. Not an excuse maker.

"Yeah man, he's the champ. I thought I was starting to chip away at him and he just kept coming back."

Poirier then is non-committal on retirement. He says he has to see but that this could be it. He has a daughter at home and he wants to compete for something that matters, not just to fight. 

Poirier then gives a semi-retirement speech, thanking his Mom, Grandmother, Wife, and Daughter.

Islam Makhachev def. Dustin Poirier via submission (D'Arce choke) - Round 5, 2:42

Poirier and Islam are all smiles. Khabib talks to Poirier and gives him props. And then Dustin tells Islam that after he tapped, he went to sleep. 

Also, Islam's team mobbed him after the fight. They were all relieved. Kind of think Islam maybe had a tougher camp than they made out.

Urgency in Islam's corner. Happy urgency in Poirier's. This is it for him. He's going to let it all hang out for 5 minutes. But his knee is jacked and he moves it around waiting.

Islam with a combo to start as Poirier leads. Then a salty left hand for the champ lands. Low kick lands from Poirier. Islam reaches for a single but Poirier defends and he bails. Poirier lands a good right.

Clinch and both men land. Islam slips some solid shots then lands a left. Clinch and Poirier digs to the body. He's not gonna get bullied. But Islam is out-working him early in this round. Good knee off a clinch. Poirier moving forward and lands a good left hand but Islam eats it well.

Islam is stating patient and gets a good single then a sacrifice throw. Poirier's butt touches but he's up. The Poirier runs  out but Islam chases him down and gets a headlock. Islam has a guillotine and Dustin has to roll letting Islam sink it in. 

And a D'Arce!!!! Islam locks a D'Arce in! POIRIER IS IN HUGE TROUBLE. ISLAM COMMITS TO IT AND POIRIER HAS TO TAP. OUT OF NOWHERE THE CHAMP RETAINS. HEARTBREAK FOR THE DIAMOND.

Deep waters. Poirier reveals he thinks he broke his nose and replay shows it was probably from a clash of heads. Unlucky. Also Islam's armbar was better than it first looked. But Khabib is not pleased with Islam thus far.

Islam looking very comfortable on the feet to start. Good jab from Poirier though. Islam loves that looping check hook. OOOF nasty right hook to the body from Islam as Poirier combos. Poirier steps in and Islam changes levels but Poirier stuffs it. Good jab from both men. 

Islam lands a decent knee as Poirier steps in. Then Islam looks to a double, but just testing the waters. Doesn't commit when Poirier stuffs it. But then Islam lands a very nice right hand inside. Porier throws back but now Islam getting the hands going and as Poirier gets tagged with a left, Islam drives him to the fence on a single leg.

Poirier defending well here but Islam has strong head position. Trying to work his way to something else and nearly gets a lift. But Poirier may have hurt his leg because though he stops it, Islam slips to the rear waist and drags Poirier down. Poirier may have popped his knee there. Oh no.

Poirier staying in tripod as Islam holding this control spot, biding his time. Poirier is content to wait for now, maybe because he knee doesn't work. And then Poirier hits a switch! He tried that against Khabib but it failed. Worked here and Dustin gets up!

And against the fence Poirier rips nasty body shots! Islam is now bleeding from a bad cut on the forehead but he's coming in. Poirier fires heaters to the ribs. Islam returns fire then doubles Islam to the fence. Islam can't quite get it so he moves to a single. Poirier defending and talking to Rogan and Anik. 

Now he makes a half-hearted attempt at a guillotine as time runs out. An elbow from Poirier is what caused a big cut.

MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9 Poirier, 38-37 Makhachev.

Great rebound round for Poirier. Very competitive. Think he stole it late in the round. His corner insists he has to stay off the cage. And Islam is breathing a bit heavy...

OH! Good knee from Islam early. Then a jab as Poirier stepped in. Then another knee and he's into the clinch. Strong position and he has Poirier against the fence. This is disaster. Poirier is going down, just a matter of time here. And Islam gets himself to the fence and drags Poirier down. 

Islam is into mount with a body triangle. Poirier bleeding heavily from the nose and moves, allowing Islam to cement the back body lock. 3:30ish to work from here and Poirier will be all defense.

Same as R1 here, Poirier fighting hands. Islam methodically working. Now moving to mount and bullies his way there. Poirier is flattened out but he sneaks out the back using the cage! Islam tries to go for the arm but Poirier escapes and lands a good shot on the way. The crowd explodes. 

Poirier is fired up and bruised up. The right side of his face is swollen. And he eats a good combo from Islam. Poirier is blooded but undeterred. He keeps pressuring the champ. "U-S-A" chants break out as Poirier jabs.

Islam touches Poirier with a light combo around the guard. Poirier starts talking. And now blinking his left eye, maybe from a punch. Poirier circling off the cage better but he is touching his left eye a lot. If his vision is compromised there that's bad because his right eye is swollen up. But Poirier charges in with a left hook. They trade some solid shots as the round ends. 

MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9 Makhachev, 29-27 Makhachev.

Islam's team loves it. What wasn't to love. Almost a perfect round. Poirier's coaches don't want him to get backed up. Understandable.

Back to the middle and Poirier throws a leg kick that Islam immediately grabs and gets a takedown with. Poirier doesn't consent though and gets right back up. Now Poirier is backing Islam up. But Islam does fight like that some. 

Good knee from Islam when they clinch. Poirier resets. He's staying on the offense but struggling to find Islam. Islam's defensively solid and he reaches for a single. He gets in but Dustin keeps him on one leg and turns out. He's not getting back to the fence if he can help it.

Poirier lands a long jab but Islam lands a left hand over the top after. Another good left from Islam. And a right hook. Poirier getting lazy inside, or maybe he's just worried about the takedowns. Islam getting the hands going right now. 

Poirier is not throwing much. Maybe he's baiting Islam in a bit. Islam lands a good combo into a single and gets Poirier to the fence. This is bad news for Poirier. He's weak defensively here and Islam is sneaky with trips. But Poirier gets underhooks and turns him! Very nice!

But Islam gets the Thai clinch. Dustin lands a few good punches before breaking out. Then lands a good jab. Islam tried to bully him and Poirier isn't having it. Good right hook from Poirier as Islam sticks jab.

Islam is ducking his head ALOT. Dangerous and Poirier is growing in confidence this round. Clinch and Poirier lands a good pair of shots. He starts backing Islam up and lands a good left hand! Islam clinches and goes for the trip. He gets it but short time. Very competitive round.

MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9 Poirier, 19-18 overall.

Both men out in southpaw as anticipated and Islam takes the center early. Poirier goes for a calf kick early. Not afraid to kick.

Islam throws a front kick high but misses. And Islam lands a left over the top! Poirier got hit and fired back and Islam fired an easy single and gets the takedown with ease. Tough start for the challenger.

Islam is in top half and the crowd boos immediately. Islam has Poirier flattened out and he's trying to isolate the right arm. Poirier defending but he can't create a scramble.

And Islam has a kimura! He's tweaking it under Poirier's back and he has to roll but Islam takes the back!

Islam locks in the body triangle and he's cut over the left eye. Small cut not sure what's from but Poirier is full defense as Islam looks for a choke. He is such a monster of a positional grappler. Poirier is in imminent danger. 

Islam working methodically here to create the opening. Anik informs us that a right hand from Poirier caused the cut. Meanwhile Dustin is all defense as Islam keeps working. Islam gives Poirier the feel like he was moving to mount and then almost sinks the choke in. 

Poirier tries to spin and Islam is looking at an armbar. He won't go for it until short time because he's smart, but he's for sure shifting his weight that way. 30 seconds left, could be soon. But Poirier is trying to ball up in defense as he sense it coming. Poirier handfighting and doesn't allow anything else as the round ends.

MMA Fighting scores the round 10-8 Makhachev.

Islam is 3 years younger, 1 inch taller, but Poirier has a 1.5 inch reach edge. Poirier is a huge underdog at +440 with Islam coming in at -600.

Bruce Buffer gets things going. The judges are Eric Colon, Sal D'Amato, and Chris Lee. Keith Peterson is the referee.

The crowd is very lively for this one. And the love them some Poirier. He gets a huge pop. Islam is loudly booed. They do not love them some Islam. 

The two men meet in the middle for final instructions and touch gloves. It's go time. #FinishTheStory

If this is the final time we see Poirier (I doubt it) he's going out in style. Poirier hits the arena to a mashup of "Diamonds in the Sky" and "The Boss." James Brown is one of the best walkouts in the sport right now. He's bouncing, he's ready. Gold gloves and Poirier looks very comfortable, giddy even. For all the pressure on him, he doesn't seem to feel it.

Islam comes out to, no idea. Some techno track. Didn't figure Islam for a techno beats guy, but truly we know nothing about this man other than that he beats ass. And there's Khabib walking right beside him. Islam always looks so flustered walking to the cage. Then he smiles it off and he's back to go. Nothing to worry about. Same as usual. P4P No. 1 is here to defend the throne.