TLDR
- Islam Makhachev defeated Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 322 to become the 11th fighter in UFC history to hold titles in two divisions
- Makhachev extended his winning streak to 16 fights, tying Anderson Silva’s record
- The new welterweight champion said he prefers Kamaru Usman as his next opponent over rising contenders Carlos Prates and Michael Morales
- Makhachev said he feels much stronger at welterweight and estimates he only fought at 50-70% capacity at lightweight due to harsh weight cuts
- Usman, who is 1-3 in his last four fights, accepted the challenge and compared facing Makhachev to his toughest fights against Colby Covington
Islam Makhachev made history at UFC 322 in New York by defeating Jack Della Maddalena to claim the welterweight championship. The victory made him the 11th fighter in UFC history to hold titles in two weight classes.
The Dagestani champion dominated Della Maddalena for five rounds in his 170-pound debut. He also extended his winning streak to 16 fights, tying Anderson Silva’s record.
After the fight, Makhachev told Paul Felder that he wants to face former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman next. This preference comes despite strong performances from rising contenders Carlos Prates and Michael Morales on the same card.
Makhachev believes Usman could beat both younger fighters. “Today, the two did fight very well, Morales and Prates, but I still think Kamaru can beat them both,” Makhachev said.
Who's next for Islam Makhachev? 🤔
📰 https://t.co/9dUY7hXhJ5 pic.twitter.com/1AayLWloOw
— MMA Fighting (@MMAFighting) November 17, 2025
The 38-year-old Usman was in attendance at UFC 322. He has not fought since June when he defeated Joaquin Buckley.
Usman holds a 1-3 record in his last four fights. Despite this, he appears to be in prime position for a title shot.
The former champion agreed with Makhachev’s assessment of the younger contenders. “I almost feel like if there are guys like myself and Islam in the division, you almost feel like if Prates was the champion, what happened to JDM is bound to happen,” Usman said on his Pound 4 Pound podcast with Henry Cejudo.
Why Makhachev Prefers Welterweight
Makhachev revealed he feels much stronger competing at 170 pounds. He said the weight cuts at lightweight prevented him from performing at full capacity.
“Not just myself, but not many fighters recover 100 percent back, because some of the hard weight cuts, it’s not [a lot] of time to recover,” Makhachev explained. He estimated he only fought at 50 to 70 percent of his abilities at lightweight.
The champion said his fight in Perth, Australia was particularly difficult. Fighters had to wake up as early as 5 a.m. for their bouts.
“I wake up and I don’t know if I eat breakfast or not because I have to go to the arena. This is the hardest and baddest day for me to fight in Perth,” he said.
At welterweight, Makhachev said he feels recovered and more powerful. “When I take him down, I feel I can control that like anyone. I just feel more power, I can hold him, I can do whatever,” he said about his performance against Della Maddalena.
Usman’s Perspective on the Challenge
Usman compared facing Makhachev to his toughest battles during his title reign. He specifically mentioned his first fight with Colby Covington as the last time he felt this level of challenge.
Kamaru Usman calls Islam Makhachev a scary matchup because his game has zero holes 😲🔥
"When I look at a guy like Islam, I don’t see holes [in his game], and that’s something that scares me, that causes that heartbeat to go up."
(via @pound4poundshow ) pic.twitter.com/USmPflvsfp
— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) November 17, 2025
“When I look at a guy like Islam, I don’t really see holes like that. And that’s something that scares me, that causes that heartbeat to go up,” Usman said. He believes this fear brings out his best performances.
UFC CEO Dana White once called Usman the “greatest welterweight ever.” The former champion lost his title to Leon Edwards in 2022.
Henry Cejudo suggested on their podcast that Usman provides the most competitive matchup for Makhachev. Cejudo proposed that Prates and Morales should fight each other for the number one contender spot.
Both fighters share the same manager, Ali Abdelaziz. This connection could make negotiations easier if the UFC decides to book the fight.
The UFC has yet to announce Makhachev’s first welterweight title defense. Matchmakers face pressure to schedule other potential fights, including a possible bout with featherweight champion Ilia Topuria at a White House event.
