As his highly anticipated fight with Dustin Poirier draws near, Islam Makhachev remains at the top of the UFC pound-for-pound rankings and continues to display unwavering determination and skill.
As a seven-year-old, Makhachev embarked on his mixed martial arts journey by training in taekwondo under the guidance of former world champion Seyfula Magomedov.
The Russian fighter eventually began practicing sanda, a Chinese style of full-contact boxing, and it was during this time that he crossed paths with the future UFC star, Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Under the guidance of Khabib’s father, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, Makhachev trained and even achieved gold in the 2016 Sambo World Championships as a rising star.
Islam Makhachev: MMA Record
Tengiz Khuchua, 2011
Despite being only 19 years old, Makhachev had already trained for several years and made his professional MMA debut at 18, joining the M-1 Global promotion in St. Petersburg, Russia.
He began his M-1 career with a bang, securing a first-round knockout victory against his opponent Tengiz Khuchua and displaying impressive strength in the process.
Rander Junio, 2013
Following another victory in M-1, Makhachev faced his toughest opponent yet – the unbeaten Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt, Rander Junio.
Despite breezing through his first two years as an MMA professional, Junio faced a major challenge when Makhachev defeated him via unanimous decision.
This win marked an impactful moment for the young Russian at the start of his career, setting the stage for his eventual transition to the UFC just a year after.
Leo Kuntz, 2015
In 2014, the UFC signed Makhachev to a four-fight contract, adding him to the roster as a highly sought-after and unbeaten prospect in the MMA community.
In his first fight in the UFC, the 23-year-old Makhachev aggressively attacked Leo Kuntz with powerful left-handed punches that narrowly missed hitting his opponent’s chin.
As the fight progressed, Makhachev utilized his expertise in wrestling, executing a hip-toss on Kuntz and then taking his back to successfully apply a rear-naked choke.
Kuntz submitted, awarding Makhachev his inaugural UFC win and elevating his remarkable MMA record to 12-0.
Adriano Martins
After making a successful debut in the UFC, Makhachev faced the biggest challenge of his MMA career in his next fight against Adriano Martins.
In a strategic shift, Islam took an offensive approach and began the fight aggressively. He met Martins in the middle of the octagon, but failed to land any significant strikes during the exchange.
Despite failing to connect with his strikes, Makhachev attempted a takedown, which Martins was able to defend. However, less than two minutes into the first round, a powerful knockout punch was delivered.
As Islam attempted to throw his left hand, Martins quickly evaded and forcefully brought the up-and-coming star to the mat. The referee rushed in to halt the match.
Martins made history by becoming the first man to defeat Makhachev in mixed martial arts, achieving this feat by knocking the Russian out in just a matter of minutes during their UFC 192 bout.
Gleison Tibau, 2018
Despite the Martins loss being a setback for Makhachev, he quickly bounced back and continued his dominance in his next fights against Chris Wade and Nik Lentz, earning two unanimous decisions.
At UFC 220, Islam faced off against a seasoned professional with 52 fights under his belt, Gleison Tibau, and continued to gain momentum.
Despite facing a tough opponent, Gleison showed his skill by taking control of the first round and even managing to land a well-executed leg kick, earning Makhachev’s respect.
Despite his skills, the Brazilian failed to anticipate the attack and was met with a powerful left-hand jab from Makhachev, resulting in a quick and decisive end to the match.
Despite being primarily known for his wrestling skills, Makhachev demonstrated that his left hand had enough power to knock Tibau out.
Arman Tsarukyan, 2019
Makhachev’s victory over Kajan Johnson elevated him from an upcoming star to facing the next rising star, as he then faced Arman Tsarukyan in April 2019.
The match quickly turned into a throwback grappling fest, resulting in an eruption of fireworks. Makhachev was successful in wearing down Arman’s stamina during the opening slate.
Despite Tsarukyan’s valiant efforts to resist Islam’s takedown attempts, the two engaged in a display of wrestling and reversals for the remainder of the first round.
Makhachev began the second round by focusing on high kicks as his main strategy. He persistently attempted to take his opponent down and despite Tsarukyan’s strong resistance, he finally managed to do so with two minutes left on the clock.
Despite facing a difficult situation on the bottom, Arman managed to successfully escape and get the fight back to its feet. Despite putting up a good fight, Islam ultimately came out on top in the second round.
Despite earning each other’s respect, both fighters were still determined to win. In the third round, Tsarukyan took the lead by strategically throwing a few combinations, which proved to be effective.
Despite neither man displaying signs of exhaustion, Makhachev significantly increased his efforts in the final minutes as the clock ticked down. After executing a takedown late in the round, the Russian confidently finished the fight.
After earning a unanimous decision victory and a substantial bonus for the “fight of the night,”he continued his winning streak by triumphing in his next two bouts, bringing his overall record to an impressive 19-1.
Thiago Moises, 2021
Makhachev’s first time headlining a UFC event was in July 2021 against Thiago Moises at UFC Fight Night.
As is typically the case, Makhachev went into his fight against Moises as the obvious favorite. And once more, the skilled grappler showcased his impressive wrestling abilities.
During the five-round main event, Makhachev spent the majority of the first three rounds dominating Moises with his superior wrestling skills.
Makhachev’s opponent attempted to keep up by delivering a few impactful body kicks, but those were the only significant strikes he was able to land throughout the fight.
As the fourth round commenced, Islam lifted Moises onto his shoulder, forcefully slammed him onto the canvas, and threw him over his shoulder.
After executing the slam, Makhachev proceeded to take Moises’ back and ultimately secured a rear-naked choke, resulting in a submission victory and marking his 20th win in the world of MMA.
Bobby Green, 2022
Makhachev continued his submission streak by defeating Dan Hooker at UFC 267, securing his third consecutive victory. He then headlined another Fight Night event, this time facing off against Bobby Green.
In February 2022, the contrast in fighting styles between Islam and Green, made for an entertaining matchup in the octagon as they are polar opposites as fighters.
Makhachev chose to remain standing with Green, landing a few well-placed jabs and establishing an aggressive tone from the start.
Despite his best efforts, Green was unable to find a comfortable rhythm as Islam expertly maintained control of the distance and kept his guard impenetrable. Just three minutes into the main event bout, Makhachev emerged victorious.
Following Islam’s successful takedown of Green and his dominant top position, the Russian bulldozer continued to grind and pound his way to victory.
Despite the doubts of those who claimed he lacked knockout ability, Makhachev proved them wrong by securing his second knockout win in the UFC, his first since 2018.
Upcoming Fight: Charles Oliveira vs. TBA, 2022
The upcoming bout marked a significant increase in level of competition, as Charles Oliveira and Makhachev faced off at UFC 280 for the vacant lightweight title.
Despite Oliveira entering the matchup with a record of 33-8 and a significant reach advantage, Makhachev remained the betting favorite for the 14th consecutive time since his debut in the UFC.
The first round started quickly, as Makhachev wasted no time in landing a left-hand jab to the face within the first ten seconds of the opening bell.
Despite Makhachev being able to take Oliveira to the ground and maintain top position, he rebounded well and the action eventually returned to its feet, showcasing Oliveira’s resilience.
Makhachev executed a superb hip toss, resulting in his second takedown of the round. This time, he was able to keep Oliveira on the ground and secure a 10-9 round in his favor.
As the second round commenced, the pattern continued as Oliveira persistently sought to bring Makhachev to the ground, but without success. Instead, Islam landed a cunning right hook.
Oliveira immediately fell to the mat, showing signs of disorientation, and Makhachev quickly moved to secure an arm triangle. Within moments, Charles submitted, granting Islam his first UFC championship title.
Alexander Volkanovski: The Next Two Years
Makhachev’s following two bouts were against the same opponent, Alexander Volkanovski, widely considered one of the greatest featherweights in MMA history.
In preparation for his fight against Islam, Volk moved up to the lightweight category with hopes of claiming the title in addition to his featherweight championship, aiming to become a two-division champion.
The champion vs champion clash began at UFC 284, with Makhachev once again being the overwhelming favorite, despite competing in hostile territory.
With the support of his home country crowd, Volk delighted fans by landing a powerful right hand flush on Makhachev’s chin in the early moments of the fight.
Despite a chaotic exchange in the middle of the round, Islam managed to land a swift left hand on Volk, causing him to kneel before quickly getting back up as the reigning featherweight champion.
Despite Makhachev’s brilliant efforts to take Volkanovski’s back, the Aussie remained resilient and managed to hold on until the bell despite the intense pressure and attempts to finish the fight with a neck crank.
Despite being hit with a punishing blow from Volkanovski, Makhachev managed to find a way to expertly execute a takedown and reverse the situation on the mat.
Despite this, Volk maintained his aggressive approach in the second round. On my scorecard, he narrowly won the round with a 10-9 score, but the margin was extremely close.
Despite being tested by Volk with some powerful punches that could have knocked out most other fighters, Makhachev had numerous opportunities to demonstrate his resilience and durability.
In a closely contested round, Islam managed to score another takedown and executed a skillful counter punch. However, Volkanovski finished the round with a series of rapid strikes, potentially even winning the round as a result.
As the championship rounds commenced, Volkanovski continued to unleash a high volume of strikes, but he struggled to land a significant number of them.
Despite this, Makhachev was able to maintain pressure and continued to pursue takedowns, ultimately securing his fourth takedown of the match. Throughout the round, both fighters were engaged in numerous close calls and intense grappling exchanges on the mat.
As Islam landed a gnarly shot to the mouth, the crowd’s deafening cheers filled the building, showing their appreciation for Volkanovski’s endurance in the fifth round.
Makhachev effortlessly landed precise strikes, including a powerful knee and several well-placed jabs, all visibly affecting Volkanovski and causing noticeable discomfort.
Despite the knee slicing open Volk’s left eye, which certainly gave Makhachev an advantage in terms of inflicted damage, the resilient featherweight champion refused to go down without a fight.
A shot he delivered injured Islam, causing the round to conclude with Makhachev on the ground.
Despite the opinion of the judges, the Russian fighter’s calculated approach ultimately proved to be enough to secure a unanimous decision victory over his opponent.
Alexander Volkanovski 2, 2023
Despite the controversy surrounding the ruling, it was clear that a rematch was the logical next step. As a result, a second bout between Makhachev and Volkanovski was scheduled for UFC 294 in Abu Dhabi.
Despite its intensity, this event did not have the same longevity as the five-round battle that occurred eight months earlier. Makhachev acted quickly, swiftly defeating the Australian.
Just as in their previous encounter, Volkanovski utilized a barrage of powerful strikes and successfully defended against an early takedown attempt by Makhachev in the first round.
After engaging in clinch-fighting against the cage, Islam landed a devastating knee to Volkanovski’s forehead, leaving him unable to recover from the blow.
Volk was taken by surprise as Islam executed a flawless left hand followed by a head kick, reminiscent of Cristiano Ronaldo’s impressive skills. As Marc Goddard put an end to the fight after just three minutes into round one, Islam wasted no time in seizing the opportunity to dominate on top.
After the much-awaited fight, Volkanovski fell short of his dream of becoming a double-champion, with Islam solidifying his position as the top pound-for-pound fighter in the UFC.
Islam Makhachev’s MMA Record
Entering UFC 302, Islam Makhachev boasts an impressive record of 25-1, having secured nine of his wins in the UFC through knockouts or submissions.
Khabib Nurmagomedov will be in his corner as he defends the lightweight championship against Dustin Poirier, and the Newark, New Jersey crowd can expect a potential battle for the ages.
Islam Makhachev has announced that Khabib will be in his corner this weekend against Dustin Poirier at #UFC302 🤝THE EAGLE HAS LANDED IN JERSEY 🦅 pic.twitter.com/jlOyVbHo7s
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) May 28, 2024
If Makhachev emerges victorious, he will widen the distance between himself and the competition in terms of being recognized as the ‘pound-for-pound king’ in the UFC.
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