Islam Makhachev has hilarious TWO WORD reaction to Dustin Poirier wearing soccer cleats on basketball court

Islam Makhachev laughs at a viral photo of UFC lightweight peer Dustin Poirier sporting cleats inside a basketball court.

Islam Makhachev has hilarious TWO WORD reaction to Dustin Poirier wearing soccer cleats on basketball court

Islam Makhachev trolls Dustin Poirier with two-word reaction to cleats (Source: IMAGO/X)

Dustin Poirier recently sent fans in an uproar when he donned cleats and took to the basketball court. While in New Orleans, Louisiana, the UFC superstar was apparently taking part in a star-studded affair. It was a Celebrity Flag Football game for charity. While the ‘cleats’ comments took over the chatboards, they caught the attention of another – UFC lightweight champ Islam Makhachev.

In a recent Instagram post, Poirier shared a snapshot from the event with American rapper NLE Choppa. UFC legend Demeterious Johnson was also a part of the charity game. But trolled for wearing cleats, ‘The Diamond’ cropped the image below his knee to conceal his shoes. Sharp-eyed Islam Makhachev had already caught on to a previous group photo.

@dustinpoirier No way.

Islam Makhachev via IG stories (@islam_makhachev)
YouTube video

Cleats are designed for grass surfaces rather than smooth waxed basketball courts. They are usually worn by football or soccer players. Now, this could very well be a non-hostile Twitter takeover by manager Ali Abdelaziz. But Islam Makhachev points it out and takes the mickey out of it one way or another.

The Dagestani and the Layfette lightweight have recent history. Islam Makhachev defeated Poirier via submission (D’Arce choke) at UFC 302. However, both teams have been on amicable terms ever since. Makhachev and his corner even admitted that “Diamond” was the stiffest test to date. Khabib Nurmagomedov even purchased his post-fight Venum Fight kit for $30,000!

Dustin Poirier beats the ‘cleats’ claims

Poirier is coming off a fifth-round submission loss last June. While the Louisiana native teased retirement following the title loss, he has confirmed that he wants to step in one last time. “Diamond” is weighing his options, and often teases on it. However, neither the UFC nor Poirier have confirmed an opponent for his final rodeo in the octagon.

UFC lightweight Dustin Poirier explains his stance on cleats
UFC lightweight Dustin Poirier explains his stance on cleats (Source: X)

It’s never a dull moment with the warrior though, even outside the scope of a fight of build-up. The hacking of Dustin Poirier’s X-handle had become a hot topic in the MMA community. He later repeated that hackers had accessed his X account from Novosibirsk, Russia. In 2024, Khamzat Chimaev was involved in another such high-profile scam controversy.

It was followed by the infamous ‘cleat’ montage that took over the internet. In an X-post, a fan shared a picture of Dustin Poirier posing on the court with Johnson and a couple of other icons of the sport. In his defense, the Louisana native said:

I was tryna get drafted bruh.

Dustin Poirier via X (@DustinPoirier)

For the uninitiated, this was hot on the heels of the blockbuster Luka Doncic Los Angeles Lakers trade. Hence, Poirier found an apt situation to pitch in his defense. Later that week, even UFC 155-pound veteran Charles Oliveira went similarly viral, showcasing a custom “Oliveira” jersey stitch. Chatboards took to poking the fun out of the fact that the Lakers would bag Doncic and “Do Bronxs” in a single week.

As for Poirier quipping on it, he approaches the end of his pro MMA run, and has teased a forthcoming fight announcement. However, he has made it clear that his next outing will not be in Miami, Florida.

Related: Charles Oliveira Net Worth, UFC Contract, Endorsement and House