Islam Makhachev is on the cusp of achieving a significant milestone in his career as he aims to become a two-division champion at UFC 322. Despite not entering the event as a current titleholder, Makhachev carries the mindset of a champion, driven by his ambition to conquer the welterweight division.
The Road to UFC 322
On Saturday, Makhachev will face Jack Della Maddalena for the welterweight title in the main event of UFC 322, moving up to 170 pounds for this highly anticipated challenge. Earlier this year, Makhachev made the strategic decision to vacate his lightweight title to pursue this opportunity.
“I feel I’m still champion,” Makhachev said at the UFC 322 pre-fight press conference. “I don’t lose my belt to anyone. I’m just coming to get second one.”
Makhachev had an impressive run as the lightweight champion, setting a record for the most consecutive title defenses in UFC history with four. This achievement was highlighted by his victory over Renato Moicano at UFC 311 in January. Subsequently, rumors of a superfight with then-featherweight champion Ilia Topuria emerged, but Makhachev was determined to pursue his own path toward a second belt.
The opportunity to challenge for the welterweight title arose after Della Maddalena's victory over Belal Muhammad, a friend of Makhachev. This opened the door for Makhachev to realize his long-held ambition.
Read also: Could Topuria Challenge Makhachev?
“This is my dream,” Makhachev said. “I’m very close to my dream. All my professional career, when I was lightweight champion, my dream was to become double champion. And two more days.”
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Historical Significance
Should Makhachev emerge victorious, he would join an elite group of only 11 two-division champions in UFC history. Furthermore, a win would tie him with Anderson Silva's record for the most consecutive UFC wins at 16.
UFC Two-Division Champions
Here is a list of UFC fighters who have held titles in two different weight classes:
| Fighter | Division 1 | Division 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Randy Couture | Heavyweight | Light Heavyweight |
| BJ Penn | Welterweight | Lightweight |
| Conor McGregor | Featherweight | Lightweight |
| Georges St-Pierre | Welterweight | Middleweight |
| Daniel Cormier | Light Heavyweight | Heavyweight |
| Amanda Nunes | Bantamweight | Featherweight |
| Henry Cejudo | Flyweight | Bantamweight |
| Israel Adesanya | Middleweight | Light Heavyweight |
| Alexander Volkanovski | Featherweight | Lightweight |
| Sean Strickland | Middleweight | Welterweight |
Focus on the Present
Makhachev remains grounded, focusing on the immediate challenge rather than dwelling on potential accolades.
“Oh, I don’t know, man,” Makhachev said about his place among the best ever. “I’m not thinking about this right now. I’m thinking about the belt. I spent all my life for just to be champion, and now I’m close to that dream right now.”
Read also: Topuria: From Prospect to Champion
His opponent, Jack Della Maddalena, boasts an impressive record of 18 consecutive wins and is coming off a career-best performance. However, Makhachev is confident, drawing strength from his victories over Alexander Volkanovski and Dan Hooker.
“Australia, it’s a good place,” Makhachev said. “I was there. I like it.
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