Islam Makhachev next fight is not yet officially announced, but his record already speaks for itself: on 15 August 2026 in Philadelphia, Makhachev went five rounds with Ian Machado Garry and won by unanimous decision — 49-46, 49-46, 48-47. It was hard to call the fight spectacular, but easy to call it historic: it was Makhachev’s 17th consecutive UFC win, taking him past Anderson Silva’s record of 16, set between 2006 and 2013. Today the Dagestani has 29 wins and one defeat, the welterweight belt and first place in the UFC pound-for-pound rankings.
Islam Makhachev vs Ian Garry: who won at UFC 330
The Makhachev vs Garry fight at UFC 330 was the first defence of the welterweight belt. The Irishman defended well on the ground and survived dangerous moments, including a heavy head kick in the second round, but he lacked an attack of his own to take the rounds. All three judges gave the win to Makhachev: two by a three-point margin, the third by one. We looked at how judges arrive at such scores in our piece on how MMA is judged. ‘It’s always hard,’ Makhachev said briefly about championship rounds.
Makhachev UFC win streak record: 17 wins in a row
The streak is counted from the win over Chris Wade in September 2016. The record for consecutive UFC wins belonged to Anderson Silva for more than ten years — 16. Makhachev first equalled it, then on 15 August 2026 broke it. Islam Makhachev’s UFC record is 18 wins and one defeat, while his overall professional MMA record is 29-1.
Sambo, Burshi and the Nurmagomedov school
Makhachev was born on 27 October 1991 in Makhachkala, is Lak by ethnicity, and spent his childhood in the village of Burshi. He started with taekwondo at the age of seven, then moved to wushu sanda, spent a year in freestyle wrestling and only then came to MMA. In parallel he built a career in combat sambo: twice, in 2014 and 2016, he won the Russian championship in the up to 74 kg category, and in 2016 became FIAS world champion, beating Bulgaria’s Valentin Benishev 7-0 in the final. He missed the 2014 World Championships because of heart problems.
He met Khabib Nurmagomedov back in his school years, when he studied alongside Abubakar Nurmagomedov. Makhachev’s coach was Khabib’s father, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, while Khabib himself, his training partner, later became one of his coaches and mentors. Makhachev now represents the American Kickboxing Academy from San Jose, where Javier Mendez works with him. In the UFC his style is summed up in one word — sambo.
Islam Makhachev age, height and weight
Islam Makhachev is now 34 years old and will turn 35 on 27 October 2026. He is 178 cm tall and competes at welterweight, where the limit is 170 pounds (77.1 kg).
Islam Makhachev loss: the one defeat on his record
His professional debut came on 1 August 2010, and Makhachev joined the UFC with an 11-0 record. He finished his first fight in the league, on 23 May 2015 in Las Vegas, with a rear-naked choke in the second round against Leo Kuntz. Then, on 3 October that same year in Houston, came what remains the only blemish on his record. Who did Makhachev lose to? Brazil’s Adriano Martins: he knocked him out in the first round, at 1:46. After that began a streak that has now lasted ten years.
Lightweight champion
On the way to the title, Makhachev beat Arman Tsarukyan by unanimous decision on 20 April 2019, and that fight was named the best of the event. On 22 October 2022 in Abu Dhabi, at UFC 280, he met Charles Oliveira for the vacant belt. In the second round he dropped the Brazilian and then choked him with an arm triangle at 3:16. Four defences followed, each against an elite fighter:
- 12 February 2023, Perth — Alexander Volkanovski, the reigning featherweight champion, unanimous decision after five rounds;
- 21 October 2023, Abu Dhabi — Volkanovski again, who replaced the injured Oliveira and lost by knockout to a head kick at 3:06 of the first round;
- 1 June 2024, Newark — Dustin Poirier submitted in the fifth round at 2:42;
- 18 January 2025, Inglewood — Renato Moicano, D’Arce choke (also known as a brabo) at 4:05 of the first round. Moicano came in as a replacement for Tsarukyan, who withdrew a day before the event because of a back injury.
Four defences in a row is a UFC lightweight record, while five wins in title fights in the division is more than anyone else.
Makhachev welterweight champion
In May 2025 Dana White announced that Makhachev was vacating the belt and moving up to welterweight to fight new champion Jack Della Maddalena. The vacant lightweight title was contested by Ilia Topuria and Oliveira at UFC 317. Not everyone liked the decision: Topuria publicly called Makhachev a hypocrite, recalling that he had not given him a title shot.
The Makhachev-Della Maddalena fight on 15 November 2025 at Madison Square Garden left no doubts. Makhachev went all five rounds with the Australian and got 50-45 from all three judges. He became the eleventh two-weight champion in UFC history, and in August 2026 he defended the new belt against Garry.
Islam Makhachev: UFC fight statistics
His statistics explain his style better than any epithets. Of his 29 wins, 13 are by submission, 5 by knockout and 11 by decision, and he finished 11 fights in the first round. The rest of his UFC numbers:
- 2.27 significant strikes per minute with 58% accuracy;
- 1.42 significant strikes absorbed per minute;
- 91% takedown defence;
- 3.22 takedowns and 0.87 submission attempts per 15 minutes on average;
- average fight time — 11:45.
In other words, an opponent can hardly impose his own game on Makhachev: he is hard to catch on the feet and even harder to take down. His main weapons are pressure in the clinch against the cage and chains of takedowns, after which he does not hold position for position’s sake but hunts a choke. That is why both strikers like Volkanovski and experienced grapplers like Oliveira are helpless against him: the former do not have time to get going, the latter lack space.
Islam Makhachev next fight 2026
As of 21 October 2026, the UFC has not officially announced Makhachev’s next fight. After UFC 330 he said he had had three MRIs and a full check of his spine: according to him, there are minor issues, nothing serious, and he is working on them. He called the period before Ramadan, which in 2027 begins in February, the ideal timing for his next fight, and added that he is waiting for a call from the UFC.
Who the next fight will be against is also undecided. Makhachev himself named Brazil’s Carlos Prates, who has won his last three fights by knockout, and the unbeaten Michael Morales among possible opponents.
Frequently asked questions about Islam Makhachev
Who won the Makhachev-Garry fight?
Islam Makhachev: on 15 August 2026 at UFC 330 in Philadelphia he won by unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 48-47) and defended the welterweight belt.
What is Islam Makhachev’s record?
His professional record is 29 wins and one defeat, and 18-1 in the UFC. His run of 17 consecutive wins is a UFC record: the previous one, 16 wins, belonged to Anderson Silva.
When is Makhachev’s next fight?
No fight has been officially announced. Makhachev himself wants to step into the octagon before Ramadan, which begins in February 2027; Carlos Prates and Michael Morales are among possible opponents.
Who did Makhachev lose to?
His only defeat came against Adriano Martins on 3 October 2015 in Houston, by knockout in the first round.
How old is Islam Makhachev?
Makhachev was born on 27 October 1991 in Makhachkala: he is now 34 and will turn 35 on 27 October 2026.
What weight does Makhachev fight at?
Since 2025 he has fought at UFC welterweight (up to 77.1 kg), where he is the reigning champion. Before that he held the lightweight belt and made four defences.
