Islam Makhachev
Welterweight ChampionRecord 28-1RussiaEagles MMA
Next fight
vs. Ian Machado Garry — UFC 330, August 15, 2026 · title fight
The style
Sambo Grappler
Sambo · Top control · Submissions
GrapplingStriking
Islam Makhachev is the reigning UFC welterweight champion and the longtime heir to Khabib Nurmagomedov's Dagestani grappling dynasty. He dominated the lightweight division for years, defending that belt four times before moving up and taking the welterweight title from Jack Della Maddalena in November 2025. He hasn't lost a fight since 2015, riding a 15-fight win streak into this bout. His game is built on suffocating wrestling and slick submissions, but he has real knockout power too, as Alexander Volkanovski found out. Widely considered the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world.
Tale of the tape
| Record | 28-1 |
| Age | 34 |
| Height | 5'10" |
| Reach | 70" |
| Stance | Southpaw |
| Country | Russia |
| Team | Eagles MMA |
The numbers
Career UFC averages.
| Sig. strikes landed / min | 2.45 |
| Striking accuracy | 58% |
| Sig. strikes absorbed / min | 1.45 |
| Striking defense | 61% |
| Takedowns / 15 min | 3.1 |
| Takedown accuracy | 56% |
| Takedown defense | 91% |
| Submission attempts / 15 min | 1 |
How they win
5 KO/TKO13 SUB10 DEC
How they lose
1 KO/TKO0 SUB0 DEC