New York: Islam Makhachev has expressed his delight after reclaiming the No. 1 spot in the UFC pound-for-pound rankings, days after becoming a two-division world champion.
The Dagestani superstar surged back to the top following his dominant victory over Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 322, where he captured the welterweight title and added a second belt to his legacy. Makhachev had earlier vacated his lightweight title to pursue championship gold in a new division — a risk that paid off spectacularly.
Fighting at Madison Square Garden in New York, the Russian sensation controlled all five rounds against Della Maddalena, earning a clean sweep on the judges’ scorecards: 50-45, 50-45, 50-45.
With the win, Makhachev leapfrogged lightweight champion Ilia Topuria, who had previously dethroned him in the rankings and has repeatedly called for a superfight with the Dagestani champion.
Makhachev’s Reaction: “I love it when everything is in its place”
Celebrating his return to the top of the sport, Makhachev shared a translated message on Instagram, calling himself a “perfectionist” and expressing satisfaction at restoring his position at No. 1.
Before UFC 322, he sat just behind Topuria in the rankings, but Saturday’s dominant win firmly re-established Makhachev as the world’s top mixed martial artist.
Welterweight Rankings Shake-up: Leon Edwards Drops; Morales Surges
The latest update also brought major changes in the welterweight division:
Leon Edwards, the former champion, slipped five spots to ninth after suffering a knockout loss to Carlos Prates — his third straight defeat.
Ecuador’s rising star Michael Morales produced the biggest jump of the week, climbing to No. 3 after a first-round stoppage of Sean Brady.
Morales’ rapid climb now puts him directly in the mix for a future title shot, especially with the upcoming clash between Belal Muhammad (No. 2) and Ian Machado Garry (No. 6) in Qatar. The outcome of that fight could determine the next challenger for Makhachev’s newly won welterweight crown.
