ISLAM MAKHACHEV

Hailing from Russia, this southpaw competitor represents the American Kickboxing Academy. Throughout his long tenure in mixed martial arts, he mastered combat sambo techniques to dominate opponents with elite grappling and wrestling pressure. After establishing himself as a former king of the lightweight division, he successfully climbed into the welterweight class. His path to prominence included four title defenses in his original weight class before moving up to seize the current championship belt.

Entering the upcoming event at UFC Fight Night, the champion carries a professional record of 29-1-0. His recent run features a unanimous decision victory over Ian Machado Garry in mid-August 2026. This followed a title-winning performance against Jack Della Maddalena. His preceding triumphs include a submission win over Renato Moicano, a brabo choke victory against Dustin Poirier, and a knockout finish of Alexander Volkanovski.