5 Things You Might Not Know About Islam Makhachev

Islam Makhachev not only carried the heavy burden of expectations that were placed upon him but somehow managed to exceed them.

The pound-for-pound ace and reigning Ultimate Fighting Championship lightweight titleholder will defend his undisputed crown when he rematches Arman Tsarukyan in the UFC 311 main event on Jan. 18 at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles. Makhachev, 33, has rattled off 14 consecutive victories—he took a three-round unanimous decision from Tsarukyan in 2019 as part of the tear—to move his overall record to a ridiculous 26-1. He last saw action at UFC 302, where he put away American Top Team’s Dustin Poirier with a rear-naked choke in the fifth round of their memorable June 1 encounter.

As Makhachev moves ever closer to his forthcoming clash with Tsarukyan at 155 pounds, here are five things you might not know about him:

1. Long odds marked his rise.

Makhachev was born on Oct. 27, 1991 in Makhachkala, Russia, but grew up in Burshi—a tiny village of some 200 people in southern Dagestan accessible only by a single road and the nearby Artsalinekh River.

2. Wide-ranging exploits dot his resume.

An Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov protégé, Makhachev holds the International Master of Sport designation in combat sambo. He was a two-time national champion in the discipline and also struck gold at the World Sambo Championships in 2016.

3. His skills were honed by well-oiled machines.

Makhachev operates out of the esteemed American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose, California, where he trains under Javier Mendez and former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov. The gym offers him regular access to a host of top-flight stablemates, including former two-division UFC titleholder Daniel Cormier. Makhachev has also spent considerable time with Eagles MMA, the KHK MMA Team and the Fight Spirit Team.

4. Historical territory could await him.

By the time Makhachev climbs into the cage to face Tsarukyan again, he will have spent 819 days as undisputed UFC lightweight champion. It will rank as the second-longest single reign in the history of the division, trailing only the aforementioned Nurmagomedov (1,077).

5. He has made stops all over the globe.

Makhachev has fought in six different countries as a professional mixed martial artist. In addition to his native Russia, he has suited up in Ukraine, the United States, Canada, the United Arab Emirates and Australia.