Islam Makhachev (28-1 MMA, 17-1 UFC) began his 2025 schedule in grand style, defending his since-vacated UFC Lightweight Championship by way of first-round submission due to brabo choke with 55 seconds left on the clock during the first UFC pay-per-view event of the year versus Renato Moicano. In the summertime, Makhachev relinquished the throne at 155, citing a desire to move to the welterweight division.
As summer gave way to fall, Makhachev had the night of Nov. 15 circled on his calendar. That autumn night, he made his welterweight debut inside The World’s Most Famous Arena, Madison Square Garden in New York City. Islam Makhachev’s maiden voyage at 170 proved to be another success.
The fight against Jack Della Maddalena netted him the welterweight title and served as his 16th consecutive victory in the fabled Octagon, putting him in a tie for the longest such run in UFC promotional history with Anderson Silva. After his November triumph, UFC matchmakers expressed interest in putting Islam Makhachev on the Jan. 24 UFC 324 card in T-Mobile Arena in Enterprise, NV.
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Islam Makhachev Refuses Jan. 24 Return To Action Due to Time Concerns
Although quick turnarounds between fights for combatants are by no means a novel concept, this time, it wasn’t feasible for Islam Makhachev, who just came off of a victory midway through November. During a recent interview on the Ushatayka YouTube channel, he explained how this rejected fight next month came to be.
“I was offered a fight in January,” Islam Makhachev began, translated to English. “January, I think, is an impossible date because I was already in camp for three months and they called me in December. They were like ‘You’ll be fighting in January.’ I said [that] it was already too late. I needed to leave for camp and be ready for January.”
Even if Islam Makhachev had accepted the Jan. 24 fight on Paramount Plus, he wasn’t informed of any specific adversary for the now-fizzled tilt for his welterweight strap. He had a hunch of who it might have been, however.
“They didn’t tell me the name [of my opponent,] but honestly, I think it was [Michael] Morales,” he pondered. “That’s my opinion. They didn’t say the name. They just asked whether I would fight in January or not.”
Could We See Islam Makhachev on UFC White House Card in June?
One of the UFC’s most-anticipated events on the 2026 calendar is the card taking place on The White House grounds on the evening of June 14. Many UFC fighters have either pleaded to appear on that show or decided that a fight at The White House is not for them.
Political leanings aside, a date at The White House could very well be in Makhachev’s future. He’s already said that he’ll be targeting a defense of the UFC Welterweight Championship after the spring equinox takes place in March.
“I think it’ll be after Ramadan for sure,” Makhachev said of his return date to the fabled Octagon. “If they want to wait and put it at The White House, then I’ll wait, if not, I can fight earlier.”
Whether or not the UFC White House card features Islam Makhachev’s first defense of the belt at 170 remains to be seen. US President Donald Trump mentioned that the event, which takes place on his 80th birthday, could feature “eight or nine championship fights.”
Final Thoughts
If, indeed, Makhachev does make his first defense of the UFC Welterweight Championship in Washington late in the spring of 2026, it’ll be almost seven months to the day between the time he initially won the belt and the day of the contest. As David Samson says every day on his eponymous podcast, Nothing Personal with David Samson, “Wait to see.”
Sometimes, a quick turnaround for a fighter, like the one the UFC proposed to Islam Makhachev in the aftermath of his November win over Maddalena, can do more harm than good, especially considering that the champ had to go a full 25 minutes with Maddalena in late fall. Whenever he does return, it’ll be a fight worth watching.
It’ll also be a fight where history could be in the making. Should Makhachev get his hand raised in victory next time out, he’ll have the record for longest winning streak in UFC history all to himself.
