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When Khabib Nurmagomedov retired in October 2020, the question for the UFC lightweight division was immediate: who would be next? Who could possibly fill that void? The answer, it turned out, was sitting in the same gym in Dagestan, had been training since childhood with the same coaches, and had been patiently building a career in Khabib’s shadow. Islam Makhachev is now the UFC Lightweight Champion, and the consensus best pound-for-pound fighter in the world.

Background

Born on October 27, 1991, in Makhachkala, Dagestan, Russia, Islam Makhachev grew up in the same sporting culture that produced Khabib. He and Khabib have been training partners and friends since childhood, both guided by legendary coach Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov (Khabib’s father, who passed away in 2020). The system that built Khabib built Makhachev too.

Makhachev joined the UFC in 2015 after an amateur career and initial professional fights. His early UFC years were marked by patience — steady wins over credible opposition, no rush to the title, a methodical approach to building the resume and skills needed to compete at the highest level. Critics questioned whether the path was too slow. Then he started fighting top-ten competition, and the questions stopped.

The Championship Climb

Makhachev captured the UFC Lightweight Championship at UFC 280 in October 2022 by submitting Charles Oliveira in round 2 with a rear-naked choke. The fight was Makhachev’s most significant test to date — Oliveira was coming off a remarkable winning streak with submissions over elite competition. Makhachev controlled the fight on the feet and on the ground before finishing it cleanly. He was immediately praised as one of the best fighters in the sport.

His first title defense at UFC 284 was against Alexander Volkanovski — then the pound-for-pound #1 fighter in the world. The fight was extremely competitive. Volkanovski, moving up from featherweight, pressured Makhachev consistently and made it a close, technical battle for five rounds. Makhachev won a unanimous decision in what many observers scored as the best fight of the year. The rematch at UFC 294 was more decisive — a third-round knockout that put any doubt to rest.

Fighting Style: The Dagestani System

Makhachev’s game is built on the same foundation as Khabib’s — elite wrestling, suffocating top pressure, and a ground game that has no equal at lightweight. But he has developed his own character:

• Sambo/wrestling base — His takedown ability is world-class. He gets opponents to the mat and keeps them there with the same relentless pressure that made Khabib legendary.
• Striking improvement — Makhachev’s striking is significantly more developed than Khabib’s was. He has finished fights on the feet and shown comfort in standup exchanges that Khabib rarely demonstrated. His left kick and jab combination is a legitimate threat.
• Submission offense — His ground game is complete. He can finish from multiple positions and his submission offense has produced finishes against elite competition.
• Composure — Like all the Dagestani fighters, he competes with remarkable mental composure. He adapts between rounds and never appears rattled.
• Ground control — Once he gets opponents to the mat, his top pressure and positional control are crushing. He advances position methodically and creates damage and submission opportunities from everywhere.

Pound-for-Pound Status

After the Volkanovski rematch, Makhachev claimed the #1 pound-for-pound ranking from the man he had just knocked out. The claim is well-earned. His combination of technical skill, championship consistency, and the quality of opponents he has defeated places him at the top of any reasonable pound-for-pound list.

The inevitable comparisons to Khabib are both inevitable and somewhat unfair. Khabib was one of a kind. Makhachev is also one of a kind. They share a system, a coach, a hometown, and a wrestling-based style that makes them nearly impossible to beat. But Makhachev has shown finishing ability on the feet and striking development that makes him, in some ways, an even more complete MMA fighter than Khabib was.

Legacy in Progress

Islam Makhachev is still writing his story. As UFC Lightweight Champion, he has the platform to build a dynasty that rivals any in the division’s history. The lightweight division has produced some of the greatest champions in UFC history — BJ Penn, Frankie Edgar, Rafael dos Anjos, Eddie Alvarez, Khabib, Oliveira — and Makhachev’s championship reign is already in that conversation.

The heir to the throne turned out to be exactly that: not a pale imitation but a genuine successor, who took what was built in Dagestan and made it his own. Islam Makhachev is the best fighter in the world. The sport has been put on notice.