Islam Makhachev dominates and conquers! In an exhibition of absolute power, Makhachev was crowned welterweight champion by defeating Jack Della Maddalena in the main event of UFC 322, held at Madison Square Garden in New York.
The judges did not hesitate to award him the victory by unanimous decision, with scorecards of 50-45 in his favor. Makhachev, with this victory, equals Anderson Silva’s record with 16 consecutive victories in the UFC.
Makhachev’s dominance was evident from the start, accumulating an impressive control time of 19 minutes and 10 seconds over Della Maddalena. His strategy, based on the combination of calf kicks, head strikes, and effective grappling, completely nullified the champion.
This is the dream. I’ve fought for this my whole life. I worked hard for this moment.
Della Maddalena, who hadn’t known defeat since 2016, couldn’t find an answer to Makhachev’s superiority, who secured every takedown and kept his opponent glued to the mat for long periods.
Makhachev, visibly comfortable in the welterweight category, expressed his satisfaction at not having to deal with weight cutting, which allowed him to perform at his best.
After establishing himself as one of the best lightweight fighters in UFC history, Makhachev begins a new stage in the welterweight division, a division packed with talent. The night also saw impressive victories by Carlos Prates and Michael Morales, who are positioning themselves as title contenders. The anticipation grows for the possible fight between Makhachev and the UFC lightweight champion, Ilia Topuria, who has already expressed his desire to face Makhachev. Makhachev, for his part, already has his next goal in mind: “Open the White House”, referring to the expected UFC event in 2026.This was my plan, and it’s no secret. All my opponents know it, but nobody can stop it.
Islam Makhachev
