Father's Plan

Islam Makhachev & Khabib Nurmagomedov (via firstsportz.com)

It’s December 2024, and the pound-for-pound best fighter in the world is none other than Islam Makhachev. The reigning UFC lightweight champion has asserted his dominance on the MMA landscape, undefeated for nearly a decade. With three title defenses on his resume, the Dagestani is beginning to cement himself as an all-time great in the UFC, but how did we get here?

Early Ages:

Islam Makhachev was born in Makhachkala, the capital city of the Republic of Dagestan, Russia, on September 27, 1991. However, Islam grew up in the rural village of Burshi, located in Dagestan. This region is known for its diverse culture and strong wrestling and martial arts traditions, which ultimately paved the trail for Makhachev’s assent to greatness. As a child, Makhachev trained in Sambo and other martial arts disciplines in his hometown of Burshi. He started training early under the guidance of local coaches, inspired by the region’s rich combat sports culture. As Makhachev’s skills developed at a rapid pace, he later moved to Kizilyurt, Dagestan. Under the leadership of legendary coach Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, the father of Khabib Nurmagomedov, Islam’s skills improved tremendously. Abdulmanap was a legendary coach specializing in Sambo wrestling and mixed martial arts. Under his mentorship, young Makhachev honed his skills and became a standout athlete in combat Sambo, eventually winning a world championship. The rigorous training environment created by Abdulmanap emphasized discipline, technique, and a strong grappling base, which became a cornerstone of Makhachev’s MMA career. Before joining the UFC, Islam competed primarily in Russian regional MMA promotions, building the cage experience he needed. Islam fought several times in M-1 Global, one of the most prominent organizations in Russia and Europe. He debuted in 2011, defeating opponent Magomed Bekbolatov via unanimous decision. Young Makhachev also competed in combat Sambo competitions, where he won the 2016 World Combat Sambo Championship in the 74kg division. By the time he joined the UFC in 2015, Islam had a professional record of 11-0, earning recognition as one of the most promising prospects out of Dagestan.

UFC Debut:

On May 23, 2015, at UFC 187, Makhachev made his UFC debut, facing off against Leo Kuntz. Islam showed off his excellent grappling skills, demonstrating superb positional control and maximizing his debut. The young fighter emerged victorious from the contest, performing flawlessly, notifying the UFC that this young prodigy from Dagestan was here to stay. Since his debut in the UFC, Makhachev has trained at the legendary AKA gym in San Jose, California. Islam benefitted from training with legendary fighters such as Khabib, Luke Rockhold, Cain Velásquez, and Daniel Cormier. Coached by Abdulmanap and Javier Mendez, Makhachev had all the resources to become an elite UFC athlete.

Undefeated No More:

Fast forward to UFC 194, a night which, to this day, remains the only blemish on an otherwise flawless record for Makhachev. Islam suffered a first-round knockout defeat at the hands of Adriano Martins. Martins, a powerful striker, caught Makhachev with a perfectly timed counter right hand as Islam attempted to close the distance. It was a learning moment for Islam, showing vulnerability and holes in his game. The young fighter would bounce back with five consecutive victories, all by virtue of dominance. However, before his first bout against Arman Tsarukyan, Islam’s career was jeopardized.

UFC 229:

On October 6, 2018, his teammate and friend Khabib took on the Notorious Conor McGregor at UFC 229 in a fight which, to this day, remains the biggest fight in UFC history. Longtime animosity between the two fighters boiled over in the pre-fight press conferences, with the Notorious one hurling insults not only at Khabib but all of Dagestan. McGregor attacked their religion, their families, and much more, and the line of ethics was simply nonexistent for the Irishman. The fight itself, however, was a one-sided domination by the Eagle. Following the victory, one of Mcgregor’s cornermen, Dillion Danis, shouted derogatory comments, triggering Khabib to hop the fence, leap into the crowd, and attack the cornerman. Simultaneously, Islam, cornering Khabib for the fight, jumped into the cage and exchanged blows with McGregor. After the chaos at the post-fight presser, CEO Dana White stated that Islam would never fight for the company again following his post-fight actions. However, following Khabib’s nine-month suspension, Makhachev was granted permission to fight for the company again, as the UFC was unwilling to lose such a promising prospect.

Khabib's Retirement:

Shortly after Khabib’s second title defense at UFC 242 against Dustin Poirier, his father Abdulmanap caught COVID-19. This was a dark time for the Nurmagomedov family, with Abdulmanap being hospitalized for months at a time. After a year of battling the virus, sadly, on July 3, 2020, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov passed away. This was a devastating loss for the Nurmagomedov family and the MMA community. Both Khabib and Islam went into darkness for an extended period of time, unwilling to speak with any media following their mentor's death. Roughly a year later, Khabib made his return to competition. Entering UFC 254, the Eagle was looking to secure his third title defense against Justin Gaethje. Following a dominant victory, the lightweight champion declared his unexpected retirement. Khabib refused to compete without his father in his corner, leaving the lightweight division in disarray, searching for a new champion.

The Prophecy:

Makhachev had the world on his shoulders, with the expectation that he would be Khabib’s successor, a tall task to accomplish. However, Makhachev backed up the hype with three consecutive victories against Thiago Moisés, Dan Hooker, and Bobby Green, securing himself a long-awaited title shot against then-champion Charles Oliveira at UFC 280. At the time, Charles was renowned as a top-five pound-for-pound fighter in the sport, with dominant victories over Michael Chandler, Dustin Poirier, and Justin Gaethje. The former champion was widely regarded as the most dangerous submission artist in the division, with a lethal jiu-jitsu game. However, Islam’s strategy was to nullify Du Bronx’s strengths with superior wrestling and top control. Makhachev dominated the fight from the start, closing the distance with ease and securing takedowns. In the second round, he landed a right hook, knocking the Brazilian down, and quickly transitioned into dominant top position. The Dagestani secured an arm triangle choke to submit Oliveira and claim the lightweight title. Islam had officially fulfilled the prophecy, following in his successor’s footsteps and becoming the champion.

Title Reign:

With a dominant performance against an elite fighter in Oliveira, Islam looked virtually invincible, expected to rule the division for years to come. He then defended his title against the former pound-for-pound number one fighter in the world, Alexander Volkanovski, at UFC 284. Heading into the contest, fans expected Islam to make quick work of the smaller, stockier Australian, overwhelming him with the significant size advantage he possessed. However, what ensued inside the cage was 25 minutes of technical brilliance from both fighters, both having chances to finish the fight, putting everything on the line. Ultimately, Makhachev emerged victorious from the contest, but for the first time in his career, the unbeatable mystic surrounding him began to diminish. If a smaller featherweight was able to do damage, imagine what an evenly sized lightweight could do. Islam then faced Volkanovski in a rematch, a fight the Australian took on two weeks' notice. In this fight, the champion made quick work of his opponent, demonstrating his newly evolved striking game, finishing the fight in the first round by virtue of a brutal head kick. Following the battle, Makhachev was officially regarded as the pound-for-pound number one fighter in the company, another accomplishment added to his already credentialed resume. His most recent victory and third title defense came against fan favorite and all-time great Dustin Poirier at UFC 302. Poirier was able to find success dragging Makhachev into the championship rounds, potentially even fulfilling his own lifelong dream of becoming the undisputed champion of the world. However, Islam showed grit and toughness, submitting the legend in the final round of the contest. Fast forward to the present, and Makhachev already has victories over Dan Hooker, Charles Oliveira, Alexander Volkanovski (2x), and Dustin Poirier. The champion looks to secure his fourth title defense in a rematch against Arman Tsarukyan at UFC 311.

What's Next?

From the hills of Dagestan to UFC glory, Makhachev has truly delivered everything he promised. Through his mentors' legacy, Islam successfully fulfilled his dream and Abdulmanap’s plan. The future is bright for the champion, and he will continue the lifelong pursuit of being the greatest fighter in UFC history.