MMA
Islam Makhachev’s UFC Record: Wins and Losses
In an incredibly short space of time, Islam Makhachev has established himself as a household name and one of the most dominant fighters in the UFC lightweight division. Born on October 27, 1991, in Makhachkala, Dagestan USSR (now Russia), Islam is part of an elite group of Dagestani mixed martial artists responsible for dominating the combat sports arena. Training under the pupilage of Khabib Nurmagomedov, Makhachev has quickly built an impressive win-loss record and is often acknowledged for his technical grappling, striking accuracy and incredible combat IQ.
Islam Makhachev of Russia//Getty Images
Islam Makhachev’s career statistics in the UFC
Let’s take a closer look at his career statistics in the UFC.
| W/L | Fighter | Event | Method |
| Win | Islam Makhachev vs. Renato Moicano | UFC 311: Makhachev vs. Moicano (Jan. 18, 2025) | Submission (D'Arce Choke) |
| Win | Islam Makhachev vs. Dustin Poirier | UFC 302: Makhachev vs. Poirier (Jun. 01, 2024) | Submission (D'Arce Choke) |
| Win | Islam Makhachev vs. Alexander Volkanovski | UFC 294: Makhachev vs. Volkanovski 2 (Oct. 21, 2023) | KO/TKO (Kick) |
| Win | Islam Makhachev vs. Alexander Volkanovski | UFC 284: Makhachev vs. Volkanovski (Feb. 11, 2023) | Unanimous Decision |
| Win | Islam Makhachev vs. Charles Oliveira | UFC 280: Oliveira vs. Makhachev (Oct. 22, 2022) | Submission (Arm Triangle) |
| Win | Islam Makhachev vs. Bobby Green | UFC Fight Night: Makhachev vs. Green (Feb. 26, 2022) | KO/TKO (Punches) |
| Win | Islam Makhachev vs. Dan Hooker | UFC 267: Blachowicz vs. Teixeira (Oct. 30, 2021) | Submission (Kimura) |
| Win | Islam Makhachev vs. Thiago Moises | UFC Fight Night: Makhachev vs. Moises (Jul. 17, 2021) | Submission (Rear Naked Choke) |
| Win | Islam Makhachev vs. Drew Dober | UFC 259: Blachowicz vs. Adesanya (Mar. 06, 2021) | Submission (Arm Triangle) |
| Win | Islam Makhachev vs. Davi Ramos | UFC 242: Khabib vs. Poirier (Sep. 07, 2019) | Unanimous Decision |
| Win | Islam Makhachev vs. Arman Tsarukyan | UFC Fight Night: Overeem vs. Oleinik (Apr. 20, 2019) | Unanimous Decision |
| Win | Islam Makhachev vs. Kajan Johnson | UFC Fight Night: Alvarez vs. Poirier 2 (Jul. 28, 2018) | Submission (Armbar) |
| Win | Islam Makhachev vs. Gleison Tibau | UFC 220: Miocic vs. Ngannou (Jan. 20, 2018) | KO/TKO (Punch) |
| Win | Islam Makhachev vs. Nik Lentz | UFC 208: Holm vs. De Randamie (Feb. 11, 2017) | Unanimous Decision |
| Win | Islam Makhachev vs. Chris Wade | UFC Fight Night: Poirier vs. Johnson (Sep. 17, 2016) | Unanimous Decision |
| Loss | Islam Makhachev vs. Adriano Martins | UFC 192: Cormier vs. Gustafsson (Oct. 03, 2015) | KO/TKO (Punch) |
| Win | Islam Makhachev vs. Leo Kuntz | UFC 187: Johnson vs. Cormier (May. 23, 2015) | Submission (Rear Naked Choke) |
Key Highlights of Islam Makhachev’s Career
Early Career and Rise to Prominence
Making his debut in 2015, Makhachev got his UFC career off to a winning start, defeating Leo Kintz via submission. With that being said, it wasn’t an all-round enjoyable year for the Russian, suffering his only career defeat to Adriano Martins later that same year. Nevertheless, at the time of writing, his current win streak stands at 14 consecutive wins. He has nine wins by way of submission, showcasing his propensity to grapple and defeat opponents on the ground.
The Khabib Nurmagomedov Effect
The bond Islam shares with the former lightweight champion goes far beyond just simply training partners. Growing up together in the same environment, sharing the same ideology in elite wrestling and approaching the combat world with a like-minded aggression, Khabib has often expressed his confidence in seeing Islam as his rightful successor.
In an incredibly short space of time Islam has become a household name, beating the likes of Charles Oliveira, Dustin Poirier and Alexander Volkanovski twice. Claiming and successfully defending the UFC Lightweight Championship– he is widely regarded as one of the best in the business.
Fighting Style and Strengths
Although he is often seen as a wrestler reliant on submission, his striking ability has drastically improved. His fighting style is undeniably influenced by his Sambo background and sees him combine a grappling ability with a suffocating pressure and relentless aggression.
A true blend of both grappling ability and striking power results in an athlete who is both well-rounded and harmfully dangerous inside the octagon.
Final Thoughts
He is a fighter who has quickly proved himself as one of the most dominant in the business. It might be early to make this claim, but Islam Makhachev’s legacy in the UFC is being documented before our eyes.
Can anyone put a stop to his reign? Only time will tell.
Marc Strydom is a dedicated sports lover with a wealth of experience in the sports betting industry, mostly as a Chief Editor of a sports betting publication in South Africa. While Marc’s enthusiasm covers many sports, football and NBA are his favourites. His articles feature on multiple top-rated platforms, covering a wide range of topics.