Islam Makhachev shouldn’t be pleased with how he carried out in his welterweight debut. Final yr, Makhachev, after finishing 4 profitable light-weight title defenses, determined to vacate and transfer as much as 170 kilos in pursuit of two-division glory.
Come November 15, 2025, the Russian phenom confronted then-welterweight titleholder Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 322. The title bout was a one-sided affair, as Makhachev scored 4 takedowns and racked up greater than 19 minutes of management time to cruise to a unanimous determination win and dethrone “JDM.”
Regardless of such a dominant efficiency in his divisional debut, the P4P king now says he didn’t like that battle. Throughout a latest sit-down with MMA Junkie, the 34-year-old confessed that since he was combating to change into a two-division UFC champion, he simply wished to win each spherical and didn’t take any dangers to safe a submission or a knockout.
Makhachev additionally added that he’s assured that if he and the Aussie lock horns once more, he can simply end Della Maddalena in any spherical he desires to.
“I watched the battle with Jack. I didn’t like that battle as a result of I simply wished to change into a double champion. I used to be solely combating for the win. I didn’t do sure issues to complete Jake as a result of I understood I used to be successful each spherical, and I simply wished to take the second belt…. But when it had been an everyday battle, or if we fought a second time, I do know I may end him in any spherical.”
Take a look at Islam Makhachev’s feedback beneath:
Islam Makhachev vows to take extra dangers at UFC 330
Islam Makhachev goes to defend his welterweight title later this month at UFC 330 towards short-notice risk-taker Ian Machado Garry. Throughout the identical MMA Junkie interview, whereas discussing the Garry conflict, Makhachev said that the Dubliner’s floor sport shouldn’t be that good, and thus as soon as he takes “The Future” down, he can end him actual fast. He added:
“On this battle, I’ll take extra dangers to complete my opponent as a result of I like to complete my opponents. Actually, I feel from the primary time I take him [Ian Machado Garry] down, I’ll have an opportunity to complete him as a result of I noticed his floor sport. It’s not that good… He has good putting, an extended attain, and lengthy arms. He all the time strikes backward and controls the space, however I see that when I take him down, it’s going to be over.”
Take a look at Islam Makhachev’s feedback beneath:
Whereas Garry desires to dominate for the primary quarter-hour at UFC 330 after which rating a submission or a knockout, Makhachev has predicted the bout will probably be over earlier than quarter-hour.
