UFC 242: Khabib Nurmagomedov submits Dustin Poirier to retain UFC lightweight title (RECAP)

KHABIB JUMPS THE CAGE AGAIN... BUT IN A GOOD WAY!

WHAT A NIGHT!

The duel in the desert was won by "The Eagle" from Dagestan as Nurmagomedov claimed the win and cemented his status as the greatest lightweight on the planet.

Who can possibly challenge him? There's only one man, American Tony Ferguson. But talk of that fight can wait for another day as Nurmagomedov and his team celebrate the 28th win of his remarkable MMA career. 

Thanks for joining us for live updates from UFC 242. Don't forget to check out the reports, reaction and latest MMA news on RT Sport in the days and weeks ahead.

IT'S ALL OVER! KHABIB SUBMITS POIRIER IN THE THIRD!

Poirier threw everything into the third round and locked up a tight guillotine choke and squeezed as tightly as he could. But Nurmagomedov stayed calm, stayed composed and waited for his moment to explode out of the hold as the crowd roared its approval.

Then, within seconds, the Russian star then transitioned to Poirier's back and locked up a rear-naked choke to force the tap at 2:06 of the round to unify the titles and remain the undisputed UFC lightweight champ.

KHABIB DOMINATES THE SECOND!

Poirier attempted to load up with strikes in the second round, but Khabib dealt with the storm, then came back to take Poirier to the mat and dominate him on the ground once again.

The Russian superstar is bossing this fight with his grappling, and Poirier is struggling to live with him.

KHABIB DOMINATES ROUND 1!

The world champion has a big opening round, taking Poirier to the mat and dominating him throughout the opening five minutes with smothering wrestling and powerful ground and pound.

It's the perfect start for the Russian, who takes the opening round with ease.

HERE COMES KHABIB!

Showing signs of rare emotion as he walks through the backstage area, Khabib Nurmagomedov emerges into the arena ahead of the biggest test of his UFC career to date.

The event has been geared up to be a vehicle for him, with a card packed with his teammates, in a venue that is packed with his fans. But all of those factors could turn into added pressure for the Russian as he steps in to face Poirier, a man with nothing to lose and a steely determination and belief that he has Khabib's number.

How will Khabib deal with the pressure? Can he settle into his usual rhythm? What happens if Poirier catches him early? We're about to find out!

HERE COMES POIRIER!

Walking out to James Brown's "The Boss", UFC interim lightweight champion Dustin Poirier looks focused and ready as he jogs his way through the backstage area and into the arena.

The crowd will largely be against him tonight, but he won't care about that, as he believes he's about to fulfill his destiny, hand Khabib his first loss and claim the undisputed UFC lightweight title.

KHABIB'S ROAD TO THE TITLE

Arriving in the UFC as a dominant, undefeated phenom from Russia, Khabib Nurmagomedov has torn his way through the opposition to claim the UFC lightweight belt.

He then cemented his position on the lightweight throne with a dominant submission finish of Conor McGregor at UFC 229 last year.

Now facing off against a challenger with a title of his own and an inspired run of form against the best fighters in the world, Khabib faces arguably the toughest test of his career in Abu Dhabi tonight.

POIRIER'S JOURNEY TO THE TITLE

Dustin Poirier has been so close to earning a title shot for years, first as a featherweight, then as a lightweight.

And when he got his shot at interim gold, he took his chance with both hands as he defeated current UFC featherweight champion Max Holloway to win the strap. 

Now he's looking to upgrade the interim belt for the real thing by handing Khabib the first defeat of his MMA career.

IT'S TIME FOR THE MAIN EVENT!

We've made it through to the big one. It's time for the battle for the undisputed, unified UFC lightweight title as the defending champion Khabib Nurmagomedov takes on interim champ Dustin Poirier. It's coming up next!