Islam Makhachev welterweight record and era explained

Islam Makhachev welterweight record and key numbers

In pure numbers, Islam Makhachev’s welterweight sample size is tiny, but the impact is huge. After dominating lightweight and vacating that belt in 2025, he moved up to 170 lbs and beat Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 322 in New York by unanimous decision (50–45, 50–45, 50–45) to claim the UFC Welterweight Championship.

That win pushed his overall professional record to 28–1 and extended his UFC winning streak to 16, tying Anderson Silva for the longest win streak in UFC history. It also made him the eleventh fighter in UFC history to hold titles in two weight classes. At lightweight he already owned the division’s most title-fight victories, most successful title defenses and the longest win streak; now those lightweight records sit as a foundation under a new welterweight chapter.

The Islam Makhachev welterweight record is therefore more about quality of opposition and dominance than volume of fights. Jack Della Maddalena walked into UFC 322 as an 18–2 champion on a long winning streak with high striking volume and knockouts over elite welterweights. Makhachev not only beat him, he shut down almost everything that had made Della dangerous.

Official stats from UFC 322 show just how one-sided the debut at 170 lbs really was. Over five rounds of their title fight, Makhachev:

• Out-landed Della Maddalena 140–30 in total strikes.
• Matched him 30–30 in significant strikes despite spending most of the fight on top.
• Completed 4 of 4 takedowns.
• Accumulated just over 19 minutes of control time in a 25-minute fight.

That is a classic “suffocation” performance: low damage taken, essentially perfect takedown efficiency, and long stretches of top control. It mirrors his statistical profile at lightweight, where he held the highest significant-strike accuracy in divisional history and one of the best defensive stats in terms of strikes absorbed and takedown defense.

In short: the Islam Makhachev welterweight record is only 1–0 so far, but it is a win over the sitting champion with an elite statistical showing. That’s why rankings and pound-for-pound lists moved him straight to the top at 170 lbs and back to #1 overall.

From lightweight king to welterweight champion

To understand why this welterweight move matters, you need the context of what Makhachev had already done at lightweight.

After an early knockout loss to Adriano Martins in 2015, Makhachev rebuilt his career around suffocating grappling, position-first control and increasingly sharp southpaw striking. Between 2016 and 2025 he went undefeated, stacking up wins over names like Arman Tsarukyan, Dan Hooker, Bobby Green, Charles Oliveira, Alexander Volkanovski (twice), Dustin Poirier and Renato Moicano.

In 2022 he took the vacant UFC Lightweight Championship by submitting Oliveira. He then:

• Won a razor-close decision over Volkanovski in their first meeting.
• Knocked Volkanovski out in the rematch with a head kick and punches.
• Submitted Dustin Poirier with a brabo choke in the fifth round of a grueling fight.
• Submitted Renato Moicano in the first round in early 2025, breaking the record for consecutive lightweight title defenses.

By mid-2025, he held almost every major lightweight record that matters: win streak, title-fight wins, number of defenses, accuracy, and dominance in control time. At the same time, he was talking more openly about the toll of cutting to 155 lbs and about long-term health.

The turning point came when he vacated the lightweight belt so that a new title fight could headline UFC 317 at 155 lbs. Rather than chase another defense, he chose to move up to welterweight and challenge Jack Della Maddalena, who had just taken the 170-lb belt with a decision win over Belal Muhammad. That move was both a legacy decision and a practical one: less weight cutting, more years at the top, and a chance to enter the multi-division champion club.

UFC 322 at Madison Square Garden on 15 November 2025 turned that gamble into reality. With a dominant unanimous decision, Makhachev closed the door on his lightweight era and opened a new one at welterweight.

Style and tactics at welterweight

One of the most interesting questions heading into UFC 322 was whether Makhachev’s style would work the same way against a naturally larger, explosive striker like Jack Della Maddalena. The obvious concerns were size, clinch strength and whether his wrestling would still dominate up a division.

In the end, the answer was “yes, with adjustments”.

More emphasis on kicks and outside striking

At lightweight, Makhachev often used his straight left hand and counter right hook to set up level changes. Against Della Maddalena, he leaned more heavily on calf kicks early. That did two things at once:

• It slowed Della’s forward pressure and stance-switching.
• It gave Makhachev safe entries—kicks forced Della to reset his feet, making takedowns cleaner.

The leg-kick focus also showed up in the stats; Makhachev landed multiple significant leg strikes while taking almost no damage in return, a rare feat against such a high-volume puncher.

Positional grappling over submission hunting

Despite his reputation for submissions—especially arm-triangle and brabo chokes—Makhachev did not force high-risk submission attempts at welterweight. Instead he:

• Shot clean entries on the hips, often off the fence.
• Used half guard and wrist rides to keep Della flat and reduce scramble chances.
• Prioritized keeping his chest heavy and his head safe over chasing finishes.

That risk-managed approach is a big reason he produced more than 19 minutes of control time without giving Della Maddalena anything resembling a momentum shift. It is also why some fans and fellow fighters, including Ilia Topuria and Nate Diaz, labeled the fight “boring” even while acknowledging its dominance.

Cardio and physicality at 170 lbs

Makhachev’s team had long argued that he is a “large lightweight” and would be physically fine at 170 lbs. UFC 322 backed that up. Across 25 minutes:

• He did not appear to fade late, despite constant grappling.
• His entries stayed explosive enough to finish all four takedowns.
• He absorbed very little damage, which matters for longevity at age 34.

After the fight, Makhachev himself admitted he felt better at welterweight, even saying he regretted not making the move earlier. He has also been blunt that it would take a “very good offer” to persuade him to cut down to lightweight again, hinting that 170 lbs will be his long-term home.

UFC 322: the fight that launched the welterweight era

UFC 322: Della Maddalena vs Makhachev took place on 15 November 2025 at Madison Square Garden in New York. On paper it was a classic striker vs grappler clash: Della Maddalena as the reigning welterweight champion with sharp boxing and knockout power, and Makhachev as the former lightweight king chasing history.

The opening round set the tone. Makhachev chopped at Della’s lead leg, forced him toward the fence and then timed his level change perfectly to finish a takedown. Once the fight hit the mat, he settled into a familiar rhythm—chest-to-chest pressure, short strikes, and constant hand-fighting to shut down Della’s posts and frames.

Rounds two and three followed a similar pattern. Della’s corner urged him to increase volume, but every attempt to step forward was met with either another low kick or a reactive shot. By the midway point of the fight, Makhachev had already banked double-digit minutes of control time and had taken virtually no clean punches to the head.

In the championship rounds, there were small adjustments from Della Maddalena: more body shots when he finally found space, some stance switches to protect his lead leg. Still, Makhachev calmly re-established clinches, chained takedowns and chipped away with ground-and-pound. The judges’ scorecards—three times 50–45—reflected that steady, almost clinical dominance.

Key stats from Makhachev’s welterweight debut:

• Result: Makhachev def. Della Maddalena via unanimous decision (50–45, 50–45, 50–45).
• Control time: 19:10 for Makhachev vs 0:00 for Della Maddalena.
• Total strikes: 140 of 188 for Makhachev vs 30 of 74 for Della Maddalena.
• Significant strikes: 30 of 57 for Makhachev vs 18 of 61 for Della Maddalena.
• Takedowns: 4 of 4 for Makhachev vs 0 of 1 for Della Maddalena.

With those numbers, the Islam Makhachev welterweight record instantly became one of the most dominant title-winning debuts in UFC history. It wasn’t a highlight-reel knockout, but strategically and statistically it was almost flawless.

The welterweight landscape: who’s next?

A single win at 170 lbs is enough to make Makhachev champion, but it doesn’t settle the pecking order in a stacked division. Several names have already lined up to call him out, and each presents a different kind of test.

Ian Machado Garry

After a unanimous decision win over former champion Belal Muhammad at UFC Qatar, Ian Machado Garry jumped near the top of the welterweight rankings and immediately asked for a fight with Makhachev. Garry is a tall, rangy striker with strong distance management and improved takedown defense, plus the kind of social-media presence the UFC likes to put into title fights.

From a style perspective, Makhachev vs Garry would look very different from Makhachev vs Della Maddalena. Garry kicks more, uses more lateral movement and is less likely to stand flat in front of Makhachev. It would test how well Makhachev can cut off a bigger cage against a long opponent whose first instinct is to stay out of clinches.

Shavkat Rakhmonov

Shavkat Rakhmonov has been considered a future champion for years, boasting an unbeaten record and an all-finishes résumé. Injury has slowed his momentum, but his name keeps coming up as a “true” welterweight threat for Makhachev—tall, powerful and dangerous in clinches and scrambles.

Makhachev has suggested that a year on the sidelines should not automatically earn Rakhmonov a title shot, but if Shavkat returns with a big win, this is a matchup that hardcore fans will push for. It would be one of the rare fights where Makhachev faces a larger grappler with excellent clinch offense and strong submissions.

Kamaru Usman

Former champion Kamaru Usman is still a marquee name, even if he is no longer in his physical prime. Makhachev has openly said Usman is his preferred choice for a first defense at welterweight. From the UFC’s perspective, it makes sense: a legend vs a reigning double champ is easy to market.

Technically, it would be a fascinating battle of pressure styles. Usman built his reign on cage wrestling, top control and an improved jab. We would finally see Makhachev repeatedly forced into clinch wrestling exchanges where he doesn’t automatically have the strength advantage.

Champion vs. champion: Ilia Topuria

Outside the welterweight rankings, the loudest talk has been about a superfight with Ilia Topuria, who holds the lightweight belt Makhachev vacated. Topuria has criticized Makhachev’s performance at UFC 322, calling it “super boring” and promising that he would knock him out if they meet.

The problem is weight. Makhachev has repeatedly said that returning to 155 lbs would require a “very good offer” because of the health cost of cutting back down. That means the more realistic version of this superfight would be Topuria moving up to challenge at welterweight—something that probably won’t happen until late 2026 at the earliest, if at all.

State of play: what the numbers say about his welterweight ceiling

With only one fight at 170 lbs, there is still a lot we don’t know about Makhachev’s long-term ceiling in the division. But a few things are already clear.

His skills scale up

The Della Maddalena fight showed that his core tools—timed entries, chain wrestling, ride positions and conservative top control—translate perfectly at welterweight. He doesn’t need to out-muscle bigger men if his positional choices remain as clean as they were at lightweight.

Damage avoidance is still his superpower

Makhachev’s entire career has been built on winning fights while taking very little damage. That’s a big part of why he can now enter his mid-30s with relatively low wear and tear compared to many champions. At welterweight, that style remains intact: in 25 minutes against Della Maddalena, he absorbed barely any clean head shots.

The big question: can he build a welterweight résumé?

When people argue about all-time greats at 170 lbs, names like Georges St-Pierre, Kamaru Usman and Matt Hughes come up because of their title defenses, not just the fact they held the belt. Islam Makhachev welterweight record will need multiple defenses against top contenders to join those conversations.

Right now, the historical picture looks like this:

• Makhachev already has a better overall win streak than any welterweight champion before him.
• His lightweight accomplishments are locked in and will always travel with his name.
• His welterweight body of work is thin—one elite win, zero defenses so far.

That gap between perceived dominance and divisional résumé is exactly why some veterans, including Nate Diaz, push back against labeling him a GOAT. Statistically and technically he looks like one of the best fighters on the planet; historically at 170 lbs, he still has to do the work.

FAQ: Islam Makhachev’s welterweight era

What is Islam Makhachev welterweight record in the UFC?

As of late 2025, Islam Makhachev welterweight record in the UFC is 1–0. His only fight at 170 lbs so far is a dominant unanimous decision win over Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 322, where he won the UFC Welterweight Championship and extended his overall winning streak to 16 fights.

Why did Islam Makhachev move up to welterweight?

Makhachev moved up after a record-setting run at lightweight, where he held the belt and defended it multiple times. He has cited the physical toll of cutting to 155 lbs and long-term health as major reasons. By vacating the lightweight title and going straight into a welterweight title fight, he traded more records at 155 for the chance to join the list of two-division UFC champions.

Will Islam Makhachev go back to lightweight to fight Ilia Topuria?

Right now that seems unlikely. Makhachev has openly said it would take a very lucrative “special offer” to make him cut to 155 lbs again. The more realistic version of a superfight with Ilia Topuria would involve Topuria moving up to welterweight, and even that would probably be at least a year or more away.

Who is most likely to fight Islam Makhachev next at welterweight?

The most commonly mentioned names are Ian Machado Garry, Kamaru Usman and Shavkat Rakhmonov. Garry has a strong claim after beating Belal Muhammad, Usman brings the biggest name value for a legacy fight, and Rakhmonov is the undefeated dark horse once he returns from injury. Ultimately, the UFC’s matchmaking priorities—star power vs merit—will decide the order.

How does Makhachev’s style compare to past great welterweights?

Stylistically, Makhachev has more in common with Kamaru Usman and Georges St-Pierre than with a pure knockout artist. All three are elite wrestlers who build their games around positional control, intelligent pressure and efficient striking rather than constant brawling. The key difference is that most of Makhachev’s legacy so far was built at lightweight; what he does in the next few welterweight title defenses will determine whether his name joins the all-time greats in that specific division.

Conclusion: a tiny record with huge implications

On paper, it looks almost silly: Islam Makhachev welterweight record is just 1–0. In practice, that single win already reshaped two weight classes, made him a double champion, tied the longest win streak in UFC history and pushed him back to the top of the pound-for-pound lists.

The story of his welterweight era is only beginning. The next chapters will be written against long, crafty strikers like Ian Machado Garry, dangerous finishers like Shavkat Rakhmonov, former kings like Kamaru Usman and maybe even fellow champions like Ilia Topuria. If Makhachev keeps winning at 170 lbs the way he did on debut, we may end up talking not only about his lightweight records, but about one of the most complete two-division careers the sport has ever seen.