Islam Makhachev etched his name among the all-time greats on November 15, 2025, when he dominated Jack Della Maddalena over five rounds at Madison Square Garden to capture the UFC welterweight championship.

The victory made Makhachev the 11th fighter in UFC history to hold titles in two weight classes simultaneously, joining an exclusive club that includes Conor McGregor, Daniel Cormier, and Amanda Nunes.

Makhachev’s performance was nothing short of surgical. He outstruk Della Maddalena 123-32 while accumulating over 19 minutes of control time across the 25-minute championship bout. All three judges scored the fight 50-45 in favor of the Dagestani champion.

“This is the dream,” Makhachev said after the fight. “All my life for these two belts. I’m really happy, and the belt’s so heavy — and I like it.”

The win also tied Makhachev with Anderson Silva for the longest winning streak in UFC history at 16 consecutive victories, a run dating back to October 2015.

Makhachev had vacated his lightweight title earlier in 2025 to pursue the welterweight crown, with Ilia Topuria subsequently winning the vacant 155-pound belt. A potential superfight between the two champions remains one of the most anticipated matchups in MMA.

“My life has changed,” Makhachev reflected on his move to welterweight. “I didn’t have to cut weight. I can do what I want. It made this night easy.”