Islam Makhachev is one of the dominant fighters in the UFC. Being active for over a decade, the Russian beast has only faced a single loss in his professional career and is currently on an undefeated streak of 13 wins. But, which weight class does Islam Makhachev fight in? Let’s find out in this post.
Hailing from the same region as the UFC legend Khabib Nurmagomedov, Islam has been rising the ranks in the promotion rapidly. He is currently the #1 ranked lightweight fighter in the UFC. Many folks compare Islam with his unbiological brother Khabib. We’ll also try to find out if Islam is better than Khabib in any aspect.
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What Weight Class is Islam Makhachev?
Being active since 2010, the Dagestani fighter Islam Makhachev has been a part of the lightweight division (155 lbs weight class). Makhachev was active in other leagues including M-1 Global, ProFC, Tsumada Fighting Championship, Siberian Fighting Championship, etc, before his UFC debut.
On October 2, 2014, Makhachev signed a four-fight contract with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) to join the lightweight division. For context, lightweight is one of the most watched divisions in the UFC and has been a center of attraction after the retirement of Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Note: Lightweight athletes can weigh up to 156 lbs for non-title bouts while title matches require fighters to weigh in at or under 155 lbs.
Islam Makhachev has also fought in the catchweight of 165 lbs against Ivica Trušček in the M-1 Challenge 51 and in the catchweight of 160 lbs against Bobby Green at UFC Fight Night: Makhachev vs Green. He won both bouts without breaking a sweat (the former via submission and the latter via TKO)
How much does Islam Makhachev weigh?
UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev weighs around 154 lbs (70 kg) and stands at 5 feet 8 (1.78 m). He is among the biggest lightweight fighters on the roster. Recently, Makhachev has also shown interest in moving up in weight to 170 pounds to challenge for the welterweight title.
It’s also worth noting that Makhachev weighs a walk-around weight of around 200 lbs whenever he isn’t preoccupied with a weight cut and is not preparing for a fight according to former UFC champion Daniel Cormier. This was revealed when the duo was discussing their wrestling-based sparring sessions in a live feed.
“You also weigh 200. It’s not like you don’t weigh 200. We weigh the same,” Cormier said to Makhachev. It’s possible that UFC fans would see Makhachev move up a division since he’s on an undefeated streak of 13 wins right now after defeating Alexander Volkanovski twice.
Islam Makhachev Career Record & Titles:
Islam Makhachev is one of the most influential lightweights in the UFC right now with a career record of 25-1-0. The Russian MMA star is the #1 ranked lightweight fighter and the UFC lightweight champion. He is also the 2016 combat sambo world champion and two-time Russian national champion at 74kg (2014 & 2016).
Take a look at the career record, stats, and titles of UFC star Islam Makhachev:
- Full Name: Islam Ramazanovich Makhachev
- Nickname: No nickname
- Pro MMA Career Record: 25-1-0 (Win-Loss-Draw)
- Current Streak: 13 Wins
- Title: UFC Lightweight Championship
- Age: 32 | Date of Birth: 1991.10.27
- Last Fight: October 21, 2023 in UFC (vs Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 294)
- Weight Class: Lightweight | Last Weigh-In: 155.0 lbs
- Affiliation: Fightspirit Team
- Height: 5’10” (178cm) | Reach: 70.5″ (179cm)
- Career Disclosed Earnings: USD 252,000
- Born: Dagestan, Russia
- Fighting out of: Makhachkala, Russia
Who beat Islam Makhachev?
Islam Makhachev has only faced a single loss in his professional MMA career. It came against Brazilian mixed martial artist Adriano Martins on October 03, 2015, at UFC 192. The fight that took place in Houston, Texas, lasted for only 1 minute and 46 seconds and Martins beat Makhachev via KO (punch).
It was Makhachev’s only second fight in the UFC and overall 13th professional fight. He came into the matchup with an undefeated streak of 12 wins. After facing a humiliating defeat against the Brazilian star, Makhachev hasn’t looked back. He is again on an undefeated streak of 13 wins.
Is Islam Makhachev Better than Khabib Nurmagomedov?
Khabib Nurmagomedov and Islam Makhachev are two of the greatest lightweights of all time. The dominant duo achieved incredible success in MMA, has an impressive record and streaks, and championships. They also make an amazing pair of friends and hail from the same region, making many believe that they are brothers. However, they are not related biologically.
Due to so many similarities, Islam and Khabib are often compared. Many wonder if Islam Makhachev is better than Khabib Nurmagomedove but the answer is he is not. Islam may be a more technical fighter but Khabib is a legendary savage who retired with an undefeated streak that will forever stay active.
Makhachev is often termed “Khabib 2.0” by coaches, teammates, and fans but he has faced a defeat in his professional career already, that too via knockout. This is one of the reasons why numerous folks including Georges St-Pierre’s coach Firas Zahabi believe that Khabib is better than Makhachev.
Frequently Answered Questions:
What did Islam Makhachev weigh in at against Volkanovski?:
UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev weighed in at 155 lbs on the scale for his fight against Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 294. Volkanovski weighed in at 154.5 lbs for the bout. Makhachev defeated Volkanovski with a head kick and punch knockout in the first round.
How much does Islam weigh in UFC 284?:
For his first fight against Alexander Volkanovski, UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev weighed in at 155 lbs on the scale. He won the fight via unanimous decision to successfully defend the championship. Their match was termed the “Fight of the Night.”
Why did Islam vs Charles get canceled?:
The scheduled fight between Islam Makhachev and Charles Oliveira at UFC 294 got canceled due to the latter withdrawing himself from the event due to sustaining a cut to his eyebrow during sparring just 11 days before the fight. This made it impossible for him to proceed and Volkanovski filled in at a very short notice.
Who is better Islam or Khabib?:
Khabib Nurmagomedov is better than Islam Makhachev when the two Dagestani fighters are compared. The former retired with an undefeated streak of 29 wins while the latter has already faced a loss, that too via knockout, in his 13th professional fight. However, Makhachev is an overall better technical fighter.
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