Islam Makhachev

Islam Makhachev opened the UFC 330 main event by taking control with his grappling, then dropped Ian Machado Garry in the second round with a right hand and a left high kick after a clinch break. It gave the champion the clearest moment of the fight and forced Garry to recover under sustained pressure. Garry worked his way back into the contest in the third, out-landing Makhachev as the champion began to tire. The challenger had found a route into the fight, but Makhachev returned to his wrestling in the fourth and repeatedly put Garry back on the mat. Makhachev closed the fight by taking Garry’s back after another fifth-round takedown. That late control settled the pace of the final round and secured a unanimous decision, keeping the welterweight title with the champion.

Key moments

• Makhachev controlled the opening round on the mat, then put Garry down with a right hand and left high kick in the second.
• Garry rallied in the third, out-landing Makhachev and pulling the title fight back into contention.
• Makhachev returned to takedowns late and spent the closing stretch of round five on Garry’s back.

Makhachev and Della Maddalena contested the welterweight title over five rounds at UFC 322. The fight reached the judges rather than ending inside the distance. The official result awarded Makhachev the unanimous decision and the championship.

Key moments

• Makhachev and Della Maddalena contested the welterweight championship over five rounds.
• The fight went to the judges rather than ending inside the distance.
• The official result awarded Makhachev the unanimous decision and welterweight title.

Moicano had early boxing moments before Makhachev settled into top control. Makhachev put Moicano down and cinched the D'Arce as Moicano rose. The D'Arce choke forced the tap at 4:05 of round one.

Key moments

• Moicano had early boxing moments before Makhachev settled into top control.
• Makhachev put Moicano down and cinched the D'Arce as Moicano rose.
• The D'Arce choke forced the tap at 4:05 of round one.

Makhachev put Poirier on the canvas quickly in the first and advanced to his back. Poirier defended takedowns as the fight became more scrappy and competitive through the later rounds. Makhachev hurt Poirier in the fifth, switched from a guillotine attempt to a D'Arce choke and drew the tap at 2:42.

Key moments

• Makhachev put Poirier on the canvas quickly in the first and advanced to his back.
• Poirier defended takedowns as the fight became more scrappy and competitive through the later rounds.
• Makhachev hurt Poirier in the fifth, switched from a guillotine attempt to a D'Arce choke and drew the tap at 2:42.

Makhachev showed his striking through the first three rounds while using takedowns and control to support his case. Volkanovski had success of his own and defended Makhachev's takedown attempts. Volkanovski rallied in the final frame, but Makhachev received the unanimous decision.

Key moments

• Makhachev showed his striking through the first three rounds while using takedowns and control to support his case.
• Volkanovski had success of his own and defended Makhachev's takedown attempts.
• Volkanovski rallied in the final frame, but Makhachev received the unanimous decision.

Makhachev's first-round control limited Oliveira's attempts to create a submission scramble. A right hand dropped Oliveira in round two and sent the fight to the mat. Makhachev advanced to the arm-triangle choke, which ended the fight at 3:17 of the second round.

Key moments

• Makhachev's first-round control limited Oliveira's attempts to create a submission scramble.
• A right hand dropped Oliveira in round two and sent the fight to the mat.
• Makhachev advanced to the arm-triangle choke, which ended the fight at 3:17 of the second round.

Makhachev closed distance immediately and completed the takedown. The takedown kept Green under heavy top pressure. Ground strikes ended the fight at 3:23 of round one.

Key moments

• Makhachev closed distance immediately and completed the takedown.
• The takedown kept Green under heavy top pressure.
• Ground strikes ended the fight at 3:23 of round one.

Against a Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialist known for dangerous submissions, Makhachev controlled the grappling exchanges throughout, avoiding Ramos's attempts from the bottom and winning a clear unanimous decision.

Key moments

• Controlled the grappling against a dangerous submission specialist.
• Neutralised Ramos's jiu-jitsu threats while maintaining top position.
• Won a clean unanimous decision to move to eight fights without a loss since his only defeat.

Tsarukyan initiated the clinch and first takedown, then worked free after Makhachev answered with a foot sweep and mount. Tsarukyan remained patient after working free and continued to go shot-for-shot with Makhachev in the opening exchanges. Makhachev pulled away in the final round by pushing a relentless pace and swarming Tsarukyan to secure the decision.

Key moments

• Tsarukyan initiated the clinch and first takedown before Makhachev answered with a foot sweep and mount.
• Tsarukyan worked free and continued to go shot-for-shot with Makhachev in the opening exchanges.
• Makhachev pushed a relentless pace and swarmed Tsarukyan in the final round to secure the decision.

More fight videos

Makhachev shot for a takedown and secured top position before isolating Johnson's arm for a quick armbar submission in the opening round.

Key moments

• Secured the takedown and transitioned to the armbar quickly.
• Finished by armbar at 3:20 of round one.
• Islam Makhachev recorded a win over Kajan Johnson.

Tibau entered his return from a two-year suspension against the rising Makhachev. Makhachev found the decisive opening with an overhand left that dropped Tibau where he stood. The knockout came 57 seconds into round one, giving Makhachev his fourth UFC win.

Key moments

• Tibau entered the bout after a two-year suspension.
• Makhachev landed a devastating overhand left that dropped Tibau where he stood.
• The knockout came 57 seconds into the first round and gave Makhachev his fourth UFC win.

Makhachev imposed his wrestling game from the opening bell, controlling Wade and winning a clear unanimous decision to move to 3-1 in the UFC.

Key moments

• Dominated with wrestling and top control throughout.
• Won a unanimous decision to bounce back from his only UFC loss.
• Islam Makhachev recorded a win over Chris Wade.

Makhachev started with patient aggression, throwing Kuntz down with a little over two minutes left in the first round and taking his back. Kuntz escaped that early trouble and returned to his feet, where he did effective work at range. Makhachev again took Kuntz's back in round two and secured the rear-naked choke for the tap at 2:38.

Key moments

• Makhachev threw Kuntz down and took his back late in the opening round.
• Kuntz escaped the first back-control sequence and returned to range.
• Makhachev took Kuntz's back again in round two and forced the tap at 2:38.

At the inaugural Siberian Fighting Championship, Makhachev worked to the back late in the first round and locked in a rear-naked choke for his fourth submission finish, capping a year in which he went 4-0.

Key moments

• Worked to the back late in the first round.
• Secured the rear-naked choke at 4:25 for the submission win.
• Islam Makhachev recorded a win over Migel Grigoryan.

Back in the Dagestani regional promotion where he had debuted, Makhachev submitted Magomed Ibragimov with a triangle choke in round two, adding to a submission repertoire that already spanned armbars and rear-naked chokes.

Key moments

• Controlled the first round before hunting submissions.
• Locked in the triangle choke at 3:15 of round two.
• Islam Makhachev recorded a win over Magomed Ibragimov.

A first-round TKO at ProFC 28 demonstrated that the then-19-year-old Makhachev could also finish with striking.

Key moments

• Landed damaging punches to hurt Grigoryan early in the first round.
• Forced the referee stoppage at 2:52 of round one.
• Islam Makhachev recorded a win over Martiros Grigoryan.

Makhachev appeared on an M-1 Global card and delivered a first-round knockout, dropping Khuchua with punches and finishing with ground-and-pound for his second professional win.

Key moments

• Dropped Khuchua with punches in the opening round.
• Finished with ground-and-pound for the first-round KO.
• Islam Makhachev recorded a win over Tengiz Khuchua.