In his second UFC fight, Islam Makhachev moved forward with his hands down and was knocked out in the first round by Brazilian veteran Adriano Martins.
What followed were years of steady wins, a Lightweight title, a second belt at Welterweight, and one of the longest winning streaks in UFC history, which was shaped by what he learned in those few seconds in Houston in 2015. He has openly talked about it: "Maybe, if I had not lost, I would not have become a champion."
Who Is Islam Makhachev?
Islam Ramazanovich Makhachev is a Russian mixed martial artist who became UFC Lightweight Champion and then a two-division UFC champion. As a combat sambo world champion and multiple-time Russian national champion, he has spent nearly a decade competing at or near the top of the UFC pound-for-pound rankings.
He grew up in Makhachkala, Dagestan, the same region as Khabib Nurmagomedov, and began training with Khabib's father, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, at a young age. The two fighters have known each other since they were kids. Now, Khabib is his head coach.
Islam Makhachev Stats
- Nationality: Russian
- Hometown: Makhachkala, Dagestan, Russia
- Division: Welterweight; former Lightweight Champion
- Stance: Orthodox
- Nickname: None
How Islam Makhachev Got Started in Fighting
Dagestan is one of the regions in the world most focused on combat sports. Wrestling, sambo (a Russian martial art focused on grappling and submissions), and judo are a big part of the culture. They are not just hobbies but a serious, structured part of growing up for boys. Makhachev started taekwondo at age seven, then moved to freestyle wrestling, and later found sambo through Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov's training system.
Before MMA (mixed martial arts), he already had a serious career in sambo. He won national and world titles, proving himself as a real grappler, not just someone riding on his training partners' reputations. He went to Dagestan State University, studied physical education, and worked as a security guard to support himself. His boss let him train during work hours and kept paying him while he was away competing.
He turned professional in 2010, built experience on the regional circuit, and signed with the UFC in 2014.
What Makes Islam Makhachev So Hard to Beat?
Makhachev's style is all about removing uncertainty. While many fighters use chaos to their advantage, breaking rhythm, creating scrambles (quick, unpredictable ground exchanges where both fighters fight for position), or looking for one-shot finishes (winning by knockout or submission in a single move), Makhachev takes a different approach. He closes the distance, takes control, and turns that control into submissions with precision and patience.
Wrestling is his foundation: it is strong, technical, and hard to escape once he gets a hold. On the ground, he is systematic, not passive, but careful, moving through positions and looking for submissions instead of forcing them. He knows many submission holds, like armbars, rear naked chokes, arm triangles, kimuras, and D'Arce chokes (all different ways to attack an opponent's limbs or neck). He does not rely on a single signature move but instead uses a complete system.
His striking has improved a lot during his UFC career. His jab helps him control distance, his takedown timing is sharp, and he mixes up his attacks so opponents cannot just defend in one way. He is hard to hit cleanly, and he always keeps the pressure on.
Opponents often say that fighting him is exhausting, not just physically, but also mentally. There are very few openings, and any that do appear close quickly.
Islam Makhachev's UFC Career
Makhachev joined the UFC in 2014 and debuted the next year. After losing early to Adriano Martins, he rebuilt his career step by step, earning decision wins, some finishes, and facing tougher opponents each time. He did not take any shortcuts.
From around 2018, the wins became more decisive. By 2021 and 2022, he was finishing elite lightweights on his way to a title shot. At UFC 280 in Abu Dhabi, he submitted Charles Oliveira, the man widely regarded as the most dangerous submission fighter in the division's history, to win the vacant Lightweight Championship. He defended the belt against Alexander Volkanovski twice, then against Dustin Poirier, then against Renato Moicano, before vacating the title in 2025 to move up to Welterweight.
At UFC 322 in New York, he defeated welterweight champion Jack Della Maddalena by unanimous decision to become a two-division UFC champion. Only a few fighters in the organisation's history have held titles in two weight classes simultaneously.
Islam Makhachev and the Nurmagomedov Connection
Islam Makhachev's relationship with former UFC Lightweight Champion Khabib Nurmagomedov goes far beyond a typical coaching partnership. It is a shared foundation that started before either fighter turned professional. They grew up together, trained in the same system, and competed alongside each other for years before Khabib retired in 2021.
Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, who died in 2020, coached both fighters when they were young. His style, based on Dagestani wrestling, constant pressure, and the use of submissions as the natural end to control, is clear in the way he fights. Khabib has continued this approach as head coach, and the connection is obvious.
People on the outside often compare and question them, but within the team, things are simple: two fighters from the same place, shaped by the same values, working toward the same goals.
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