Makhachev Makes History with Systematic Title Victory
In a stunning display of grappling dominance, Islam Makhachev has secured his place among the UFC's all-time greats by defeating Jack Della Maddalena to claim the welterweight championship at UFC 322. The event, held at Madison Square Garden, saw the lightweight king move up in weight and put on a clinical performance to become the 11th fighter in UFC history to win championships in multiple divisions.
A One-Sided Affair from Start to Finish
The highly anticipated main event proved to be a brutal showcase of Makhachev's skills. From the opening bell, the Dagestani fighter implemented his game plan with ruthless efficiency, systematically attacking Della Maddalena's right calf with powerful kicks. The Australian champion was left in visible agony throughout the later rounds, unable to mount any significant offence against Makhachev's relentless pressure.
Across five rounds, Makhachev maintained almost complete control, accumulating 18 minutes of control time in the 25-minute contest. The judges' scorecards told a comprehensive story, with all three officials scoring the bout 50-45 in Makhachev's favour. This victory also saw Makhachev equal Anderson Silva's prestigious record of 16 consecutive wins in the UFC.
Co-Main and Welterweight Shakeup
In the co-main event, Valentina Shevchenko successfully defended her flyweight title against former strawweight champion Zhang Weili, who was also moving up a division. Unlike Makhachev, Zhang struggled to implement her game plan, with Shevchenko controlling the distance and securing takedowns in every round on her way to a unanimous decision victory.
The welterweight division saw significant movement elsewhere on the card. British former champion Leon Edwards suffered a devastating knockout loss to Carlos Prates, marking his third consecutive defeat and the first time he's been knocked out cold in the UFC. Meanwhile, Sean Brady failed to build on his previous victory over Edwards, being stopped by the undefeated 25-year-old prospect Michael Morales.
These results have dramatically reshaped the welterweight landscape, with both Prates and Morales joining established contenders like Ian Garry, Shavkat Rakhmonov and Belal Muhammad in the queue to challenge the new champion, Islam Makhachev.
In other notable bouts, Benoit Saint Denis recorded the sixth fastest knockout in UFC history, stopping veteran Beneil Dariush in just 16 seconds, while Bo Nickal returned to winning ways with a brutal head kick knockout of Rodolfo Vieira.
