As the MMA world awaits some official Islam Makhachev next fight news, we offer up three opponent options for the UFC lightweight king’s next title defense and take a look back at his historic triumph over Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 284.
Related: UFC tonight – Fight card, betting odds, and watch times for Saturday’s UFC event
Who will Islam Makhachev next fight be against?
While the options are not endless for the best 155-pound fighter on the planet, the possibilities are still very lucrative. Following a win that made him the top fighter in our UFC pound-for-pound rankings, the most sensible options for Makhachev next would be scraps against the Dustin Poirier versus Justin Gaethje winner or a Charles Oliveira rematch.
- Diamond: Poirier is one of the most popular and proven fighters in the lightweight division. Makhachev vs. Poirier makes a lot of sense next not just in division relevancy, but also in box office appeal. However, he must get past Gaethje first in July.
- The Highlight: Former interim champion Gaethje is another fighter who could be next for the champ. If he can avenge his loss to Poirier first, he would have a solid case for a scrap with Makhachev.
- Do Bronx: Oliveira is one of the best fighters on the planet. He proved that again with a destructive win over a red-hot Beneil Dariush at UFC 289. There is no fighter in the division that has a better case for a scrap with Makhachev than the form champ.
Islam Makhachev vs Alexander Volkanovski recap
Islam Makhachev vs. Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 284 turned out to be a highly-competitive back-and-forth battle, despite the Russian being a notable favorite heading into the bout. Beyond just scoring a career-defining win, Makhachev also proved to the world that he is far more than just a one-trick-pony grappler.
What happened: Over five rounds, Volkanovski showed why he is one of the best fighters on Earth by doing what no opponent could do to Makhachev before, and that was to consistently overcome his outstanding grappling and force much of the fight to take place on the feet.
However, despite the assumption that the lightweight champ would be outgunned in a striking battle, he surprised his detractors as he was able to counter and land many clean shots on Volkanovski throughout. Doing enough to score points and show Octagon aggression en route to a successful title defense at UFC 284.
The fallout: If there were any doubters of Makhachev’s elite status, they have all but disappeared. At UFC 284 he proved he is a well-rounded fighter and has various ways to win a fight. He can grind foes to a pulp on the mat, or get into a striking war with the best in the world and win.
The roadmap ahead: It will be interesting to see how the promotion books the Russian going forward. He has his eyes set on creating a legendary legacy with massive matchups, but he still must lead a division and fight all top challengers.
Makhachev seemingly wants his chance to move up in weight and fight for a second belt, but chances are he defends his title a second time in his next bout.
What makes Islam Makhachev so popular?
Islam Makhachev is the heir apparent to UFC legend Khabib Nurmagomedov when it comes to top MMA stars from Dagestan, Russia. The fact that he is close friends with the former lightweight champ and was trained by his father only adds to his building legacy as the best MMA fighter in the world today from Eastern Europe.
Let’s take a look at some of Islam Makhachev’s key achievements and various stats on one of the best competitors in combat sports.
- Islam Makhachev record: 24-1 (4 KO, 11 submissions)
- Islam Makhachev height: 5-foot-10
- Islam Makhachev weight: The Russian competes in the UFC’s lightweight division, which has a max weight of 156 pounds in non-title fights.
- Makhachev is currently on a 12-fight win streak, all in the UFC, and includes wins over Charles Oliveira, Dan Hooker, Thiago Moises, and Bobby Green.
- Islam Makhachev loss: His lone defeat was by technical knockout to Adriano Martins at UFC 192 in 2015.
- Along with having won UFC gold, Makhachev also won a Russian Sambo national championship before competing in MMA.
Islam Makhachev net worth
The measure of a fighter’s success is the dollars and cents they stack up from a career in combat sports. Islam Makhavhev’s net worth is believed to be around $650,000. However, that is likely to grow significantly in the coming years as a UFC champion.