Islam Makhachev’s impressive run has now carried over into another division.
Makhachev, who at one point earned the top pound-for-pound men’s MMA spot due to his long-standing success at lightweight, captured the UFC Welterweight Championship on Saturday evening following a one-sided outing against Jack Della Maddalena.
Makhachev’s victory headlined UFC 322 from Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York.
The Russian talent primarily used his overwhelming ability to out-wrestle Della Maddalena for the scorecard victory. Makhachev racked up an astounding 19 minutes of control time, spending nearly all of the fight in a top position.
Makhachev held his own on the feet against Della Maddalena, who struggled to get his striking going. The former lightweight champ visibly stung Della Maddalena with leg kicks, the most stand-out shots in a fight which saw low striking output from both competitors.
“This is my plan,” Makhachev said about his focus on wrestling. “This is not a secret. All my opponents know this, and nobody can stop.”
Makhachev now joins an exclusive list of just 11 UFC fighters who have held titles in two separate weight classes. More specifically, he is the first person since BJ Penn to earn titles at both lightweight and welterweight.
A 15-fight winning streak was carried into this weekend by Makhachev, including wins against greats like Dustin Poirier, Alexander Volkanovski, and Dustin Poirier. He relinquished his title at 155 pounds earlier this year with the intention of claiming a title at welterweight.
Makhachev noted afterward that welterweight has allowed him to go through a significantly less stressful weight cut, and that he feels he can wrestle even more with the energy he has up at 170 pounds.
Della Maddalena, an Australian talent who entered this weekend as a significant underdog, was appearing for the first time since becoming champ. He ended the reign of Belal Muhammad earlier this year, getting the nod in a five-round battle at UFC 315.
Saturday marked his first defeat since 2016, his second-ever pro appearance back when he was appearing on the Australian regionals, over half a decade before he would even join the UFC roster.
Now with a title at welterweight, Makhachev said that he hopes to compete at UFC’s planned card next year at the White House in Washington, D.C.
