Islam Makhachev is the current UFC Lightweight Champion and the fighter widely considered the best pound-for-pound fighter in the sport. Trained alongside Khabib Nurmagomedov at the AKA and Khabib’s team, Makhachev has taken the Dagestani grappling template and refined it further — adding more diverse submission attacks, improved striking, and the same relentless cage pressure that made Khabib unbeatable.
Dagestani Roots and Early Career
Islam Makhachev was born on October 27, 1991, in Makhachkala, Dagestan, Russia — the same region that produced Khabib Nurmagomedov and many other elite wrestlers and grapplers. He began wrestling as a child in the tradition of Dagestan’s deeply embedded combat sports culture, developing the grappling foundation that would make him one of the sport’s most dominant fighters.
He joined the UFC in 2015 and his early career was marked by steady development — impressive wins, one disputed loss to Adriano Martins (later avenged), and the patient accumulation of experience at the UFC level. He was always considered one of the sport’s brightest prospects, but it took time for his championship potential to be recognized by the broader MMA community.
The 10-Fight Winning Streak and Title Shot
Between 2019 and 2022, Makhachev assembled a 10-fight winning streak that included victories over Drew Dober, Thiago Moises, Dan Hooker, and Bobby Green. The streak was marked by the complete domination that would define his championship run — Makhachev didn’t just win, he made opponents look helpless through superior grappling control and cage work.
The sequence earned him a title shot against Charles Oliveira for the vacant lightweight championship at UFC 280 in October 2022 in Abu Dhabi. Oliveira was the most dangerous submission fighter in the division’s history. Makhachev’s response was a masterclass in grappling control — he submitted Oliveira with a rear naked choke in the second round.
Volkanovski and the Pound-for-Pound Debate
Makhachev’s first title defense came against featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 284 in February 2023 in Perth, Australia — Volkanovski’s home territory. The fight between the two pound-for-pound best fighters in the world was extraordinary. Volkanovski nearly pulled off a massive upset, winning the first two rounds with his footwork and counter-striking. Makhachev’s grappling took over in the later rounds and he won a unanimous decision.
The rematch in October 2023 was more decisive — Makhachev stopped Volkanovski in the first round, answering any lingering questions about whether their first fight had been closer than it should have been. The stoppage was clean and emphatic, demonstrating that Makhachev had improved even from his already elite starting point.
Defeating Oliveira Twice
Makhachev’s second fight with Oliveira at UFC 294 in October 2023 (the same card as the Volkanovski rematch) produced another decisive win. Oliveira came out with improved striking in the first round, but Makhachev’s grappling eventually asserted dominance and he finished with strikes in the second round. Two clear wins over the man who held the UFC’s all-time submission record established Makhachev as definitively superior in the grappling domains both men specialized in.
Fighting Style: The Dagestani System Evolved
Makhachev’s fighting style is built on the same Dagestani wrestling foundation as Khabib — elite single-leg takedowns, powerful cage work, and smothering top control — but with additions that make him arguably more dangerous. His submission attacks are more varied than Khabib’s were; he has finished with triangle chokes, guillotines, and rear naked chokes against elite opponents. His striking has developed to the point where he can threaten with punches effectively enough to set up his grappling.
He is also excellent from bottom position — a dimension Khabib never needed to develop — because his opponents occasionally succeed in taking him down. Makhachev’s ability to stand back up or attack from guard prevents opponents from finding the same comfort on top that he provides when he takes someone down.
Legacy in Progress
Islam Makhachev’s legacy is still being written, but the framework is already extraordinary. He has defended the lightweight title multiple times against the best competition available, including two wins each over Oliveira and Volkanovski. His level of dominance — rarely threatened, never stopped — places him on a trajectory that compares favorably with the most successful champions the sport has produced.
The comparison to Khabib is inevitable and deserved. Makhachev has proven not just that he can carry that legacy but that he can extend it — that the Dagestani school of wrestling-based MMA continues to produce champions who dominate their era. Whether Makhachev can equal or exceed Khabib’s legacy remains to be seen, but his early championship record provides strong evidence that the answer is yes.
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