ISLAM MAKHACHEV

Hailing from Russia, Islam Makhachev competes as a lightweight within the UFC. Training out of the American Kickboxing Academy, the southpaw utilizes a grappling-heavy approach defined by chain wrestling and elite positional dominance. Before reaching the pinnacle of the sport, he established himself as a world-class combat sambo practitioner. His ascent culminated in securing the vacant lightweight championship through a submission victory over Charles Oliveira. This triumph solidified his status as a dominant force, which he further bolstered by successfully defending his belt against Alexander Volkanovski in early 2023.

Makhachev enters his upcoming contest holding a professional record of 24-1-0. His recent run features five consecutive victories. Before his successful title defense against Volkanovski, he forced a tap from Oliveira. Prior to that championship win, he earned a technical knockout victory over Bobby Green. His path to the top also included submission finishes against Dan Hooker and Thiago Moises.