Makhachev’s reign and the evolving corner

Makhachev dominance at UFC 330

Islam Makhachev extended his UFC winning streak to 17 fights following a unanimous decision win over Ian Machado Garry at UFC 330 this month. This victory pushed his streak past Anderson Silva’s record of 16 wins. Makhachev holds the 170-pound title after defeating Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 322. At 34 years old, he maintains a 7-0 record in UFC title fights. He claims at least three more difficult fights remain in his schedule. Michael Morales and Carlos Prates stand as the primary contenders for his next title defense. Gabriel Bonfim also remains a rising contender. Makhachev previously secured the belt by beating Jack Della Maddalena and most recently defeated Machado Garry. He completed 10 fights before his first title fight.

Training philosophies in Dagestan and California

Javier Mendez leads the training at American Kickboxing Academy. He coached fighters like Cain Velasquez and Daniel Cormier to UFC titles. Makhachev trains with these veterans to refine his combat skills. Mendez notes the Dagestani training culture emphasizes discipline and constant activity. This system includes training sessions occurring in the morning, midday, and evening. Students even perform 30 minutes of gymnastics before practice to improve flexibility and body coordination. Mendez recalls how Dagestani fighters practice with high intensity. They often engage in wrestling matches even during relaxed outings, such as picnics. This mindset ensures they remain at a different level of competition. While Khabib Nurmagomedov focuses on the expansion of Eagle FC into the United States, he maintains that the specific grappling techniques developed in Dagestan provide a large edge over the American wrestling styles seen in fighters like Justin Gaethje. He notes that while American wrestlers defend takedowns well on their feet, they struggle once the grappling engagement begins. You know the drill with these style matchups. Khabib Nurmagomedov, who retired with a 29-0 professional record, also provides mentorship. He stood in the corner for the submission win over Dustin Poirier at UFC 302. Nurmagomedov wants to take the belt back to Dagestan. He plans to bring his Dagestani fighters to San Jose in February to hunt for more success. Nurmagomedov aims to sign more than 50 fighters for the promotion next year.

The potential middleweight transition

Makhachev holds a 26-1 pro record. He recently submitted Dustin Poirier at UFC 302. Javier Mendez suggests a jump to middleweight could make Makhachev a champ-champ. He notes the difficulty of maintaining title defenses beyond three. The current welterweight division turnover remains extremely high. Most fighters fail to secure more than three title defenses. Will Makhachev successfully navigate the 30-pound jump to middleweight? He plans to face Arman Tsarukyan next for his fourth title defense. He previously beat Jack Della Maddalena and Ian Machado Garry. Sean Strickland and Robert Whittaker both deserve a title shot at 185 pounds. Makhachev also holds victories over Alexander Volkanovski and Renato Moicano. His win over Moicano came via D’Arce choke in January 2025. He also won the lightweight title from Charles Oliveira via arm triangle choke in 2022. He plans to face Tsarukyan despite dealing with an injury. His victory at 185 pounds would prove his dominance across divisions.