Islam Makhachev Record, stats and next fight

Background

Born on October 27, 1991, in Makhachkala, Dagestan, Makhachev comes from a Lak family and trained in combat sambo, a discipline in which he won an amateur world title in 2016. From his teenage years he trained alongside Khabib Nurmagomedov, under the guidance of Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov.

A professional since 2010, he built his early career in Russia, mainly in M-1 Challenge, and arrived in the UFC in 2015 with a record of 12 wins without a loss. He now splits his preparation between Dagestan and American Kickboxing Academy in California, where he works with Javier Mendez.

UFC Career

His only loss came in just his second fight in the organization: a KO against Adriano Martins at UFC 192 in October 2015. He has not lost since. Wins followed over Arman Tsarukyan in 2019, Dan Hooker by kimura at UFC 267, then Thiago Moises and Drew Dober.

In October 2022, at UFC 280, he submitted Charles Oliveira with an arm-triangle choke in the second round to win the vacant lightweight title. He defended it four times: twice against Alexander Volkanovski, including a head kick KO at UFC 294, once against Dustin Poirier at UFC 302 and a final time against Renato Moicano at UFC 311, before vacating the belt.

On November 15, 2025, at UFC 322, he moved up to welterweight and beat Jack Della Maddalena by decision to win a title in a second division. He defended it on August 15, 2026, in Philadelphia against Ian Machado Garry.

Before his title, his path in the organization included submissions of Kajan Johnson and Leo Kuntz, a KO of Gleison Tibau at UFC 220 and decisions over Nik Lentz, Chris Wade and Davi Ramos. The kimura he landed on Dan Hooker at UFC 267, in October 2021, put him near the top of the lightweight rankings and opened the door to the vacant title fight.

Fighting Style

Makhachev fights out of a southpaw stance and builds his game around combat sambo: leg entries, pinning opponents against the cage, prolonged control on the mat and transitions to chokes. Thirteen of his twenty-nine wins came by submission, including several arm-triangle chokes, his signature finish.

On the feet, he works behind a jab and low kicks that set up the takedown, and he showed in 2023 against Alexander Volkanovski that he can also finish with a head kick. His move to welterweight, a division where he often gives up size, relied on the same blueprint: wrestling pressure and pace management over five rounds.