The UFC 302 faceoff between Islam Makhachev and Dustin Poirier saw a heated exchange – seemingly after Poirier said something to the Dagestani national.

Security eventually separated the fighters, but it was clear that Makhachev was visibly “on the edge”.

 

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So what happened?
As a clearer version of audio of the exchange emerged, it can be heard that Poirier said:

Go to sleep, motherf*cker.

Which angered Makhachev, who said:

Don’t say motherf*cker to me.

But why did Makhachev get so angry because of the “MF” word?
His manager, Ali Abdelaziz, revealed during the press conference:

Honestly, I think it was a misunderstanding.

He said something… Everybody comes from different cultures, and he said something accepted in American culture.

It’s OK to drop the MF word. But with Muslim guys or Russian guys, you can’t say the MF word.
Because this is almost talking about his mother.

We know in America, you can say the MF word and it’s OK, it’s whatever.
I personally don’t like to call people that, I don’t like nobody to call me that, but in America, it’s OK. People say it to each other.

I don’t think it’s good, but I don’t think Dustin Poirier meant it, and Islam had to be like: “Hey, don’t talk to me this way.”

I think that’s how things got mixed up a little bit, but I don’t think Dustin meant it in a malicious way.
But he pissed Islam off and Islam wasn’t happy about it, but I think he’s good.

Abdelaziz is convinced that Poirier is a good man:

Dustin Poirier’s a good guy.

Khabib [auctioned] his shirt for $150,000 to donate to his charity.
If Dustin Poirier was not a good guy, Khabib would not [auction] his shirt, donate to his charity when they fought.

Dustin Poirier’s a good guy, he’s a good father, a good man.
We respect him, but he’s the enemy right now, in a competition way.

I don’t think you can [find] two people who can say Dustin Poirier’s not a good guy.