Russian fighter Islam Makhachev faced a hostile crowd on Thursday ahead of his clash with Dustin Poirier to claim he was "the best fighter in the world right now." 

The heavy favorite to win Saturday's fight on the main card at UFC 302, Makhachev continually pointed to American rival Poirier's weakness in facing "good wrestlers and grapplers."

"When he meets some good wrestlers and good grapplers he always has the same problem," Makhachev claimed above the boos and chants of "Dustin, Dustin" from the crowd.

The two fighters had to be separated at their face off as tensions boiled over.