Makhachev solidified his status as a UFC icon by defeating Maddalena via unanimous decision (50-45, 50-45, 50-45) in the main event of UFC 322 at Madison Square Garden, New York on 15/11.

Islam Makhachev celebrates with two UFC championship belts. *Photo: Zuffa LLC*

The Russian fighter extended his winning streak to 16 matches, equaling the record of legend Anderson Silva. He also became the 11th fighter to win titles in two weight divisions in UFC history. Makhachev's last defeat was against Adriano Martins at UFC 192 in 10/2015.

Makhachev secured the lightweight belt (66 to 70 kg) by defeating Charles Oliveira via submission in 10/2022. He then successfully defended his title against Alexander Volkanovski (twice), Dustin Poirier, and Renato Moicano before becoming the welterweight champion (71 to 77 kg).

"This is a dream. My whole life I fought for this moment", Makhachev said after defeating Maddalena.

Islam Makhachev takes Jack Della Maddalena to the ground in the second round of their welterweight title fight at UFC 322 in Madison Square Garden, New York, USA on 15/11. *Photo: AP*

At Madison Square Garden yesterday, Makhachev dominated, blending his renowned striking with grappling to completely neutralize Maddalena. From the first round, the Russian fighter established control of his opponent's offense, taking Maddalena to the mat and dominating most of the fight – a total of 19 minutes 10 seconds.

Maddalena had almost no defense, was consistently pinned on the ground during his attempts to resist, and landed only 32 significant strikes compared to Makhachev's 123.

Despite not securing a knockout, Makhachev stated he felt relieved, even calling it an easy fight.

The victory opens a new path for Makhachev in the welterweight division, where contenders Carlos Prates and Michael Morales both impressed with knockout wins on the same fight night.

However, the name that excited the MMA community most was Ilia Topuria, the current lightweight champion. Immediately after Makhachev's victory, Topuria provoked on social media: "He's the most boring thing in this sport. Every day I become more certain that I will knock this guy out."

Makhachev did not mention Topuria, but declared: "Open the White House doors. I'm coming", hinting at a UFC event planned there in 2026.

Hong Duy