UFC 322 marked the emphatic return of Islam Makhachev, who dominated Jack Della Maddalena across five suffocating rounds to claim two-division gold. Makhachev dismantled the Aussie with clinical precision, battering him with crisp combinations and relentless calf kicks that left Della Maddalena compromised early. The damage to his lead leg grew so severe that the Australian was forced to switch to orthodox, unable to bear weight on his right leg, effectively neutralizing the trademark southpaw weapons that carried him to the title.
Entering what many described as the toughest camp of his career ahead of his welterweight debut, the 34-year-old delivered a masterclass. He earned a lopsided unanimous decision (50-45, 50-45, 50-45) to secure the 170lbs crown and cement his status as one of the sport’s all-time greats.
Islam Makhachev Sets Sights on UFC’s White House Event for His Next Fight
Once the fight hit the canvas, Makhachev’s signature top pressure and ruthless ground-and-pound took over, as he amassed more than 18 minutes of control time. With the victory, he became just the 11th double champion in UFC history and the first Russian to achieve the feat.
Competing under the bright lights of Madison Square Garden, Makhachev also tied Anderson Silva’s legendary 16-fight UFC win streak, the longest in company history, while simultaneously ending Della Maddalena’s 18-fight surge. Remarkably, he has now halted three massive streaks in a row, previously snapping Charles Oliveira’s 11-fight run and Alexander Volkanovski’s 22-fight tear.
After the win, the Dagestani spoke proudly about achieving two-division glory. Despite offering Makhachev the biggest size disadvantage of his career, Della Maddalena’s extra inch of height had no impact once the cage door closed.
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THE BEST IN THE WORLD 👑
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— UFC (@ufc) November 16, 2025
Each round followed a dominant pattern: Makhachev applied early pressure, absorbed or avoided Della Maddalena’s desperate counter attempts, and then secured a powerful slam that left the Australian staring up at the MSG jumbotron until the horn.
Ironically, the stand-up exchanges, where Della Maddalena was expected to pose the greatest threat, were the moments where he found the least success. In Round 3, Makhachev even came close to landing the same hook-to-head-kick combination that knocked out Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 294 in 2023.
The unanimous decision marked just the second time in this decade that a Makhachev fight didn’t end via knockout or submission. After the fight, Makhachev summed up his emotions during his interview with Joe Rogan, saying, “This is the dream. I’m so happy and I like it. I worked hard for this moment.”
He added, “All my opponents know this, and nobody can stop it.” The Dagestani further emphasized how life-changing the move to welterweight has been for him, no longer burdened by the brutal weight cut to 155 pounds. He added, “I swear to God, my life has changed. No cut weight, and I can do whatever I want over five rounds. I made this fight look so easy.”
The Dagestani star closed with a powerful message about where he wants to compete next—on the historic June 2026 UFC White House card. He concluded with, “Open the White House, I’m coming.”
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While Makhachev claimed welterweight gold in dominant fashion, the division is quickly forming a new line of challengers. Rising contenders Michael Morales and Carlos Prates both recorded knockout victories on the same night, injecting fresh intrigue into the title picture.
Meanwhile, the looming potential title eliminator between Belal Muhammad and Ian Garry promises even more complexity atop the 170-pound landscape.
