{"id":641955,"date":"2025-11-12T18:46:50","date_gmt":"2025-11-12T17:46:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/theplayoffs.news\/en\/?p=641955"},"modified":"2025-11-12T18:46:54","modified_gmt":"2025-11-12T17:46:54","slug":"islam-makhachev-aims-to-eclipse-former-champions-welterweight-reign-after-ufc-322","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/theplayoffs.news\/en\/islam-makhachev-aims-to-eclipse-former-champions-welterweight-reign-after-ufc-322\/","title":{"rendered":"Islam Makhachev Aims to Eclipse Former Champion&#8217;s Welterweight Reign After UFC 322"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Islam Makhachev steps into the biggest fight of his career this weekend. On November 15, 2025, he faces Jack Della Maddalena for the UFC welterweight title at <a href=\"https:\/\/theplayoffs.news\/en\/mma\/\" class=\"trk-cta-link\" data-cta-trk='{\"ctaType\":\"Link\",\"ctaSubType\":\"main\"}'>UFC 322<\/a> in Madison Square Garden. The former lightweight king vacated his 155-pound belt to chase two-division history. At 34, Makhachev carries a 15-fight win streak and pound-for-pound respect, and a win would make him a double champ. A feat very few have accomplished in the UFC.<\/p><p>However, Makhachev is already looking ahead, as he has bold plans for his reign at 170 pounds, looking to beat some challenging records set by former UFC welterweight champion. <\/p><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Islam Makhachev Eyeing Kamaru Usman&rsquo;s Record<\/h2><p>Makhachev recently stated that he wants to surpass Kamaru Usman&rsquo;s welterweight legacy. Usman won the strap in 2019 and defended it five times over nearly two years. During the &ldquo;Nigerian Nightmare&rsquo;s&rdquo; reign, he beat Tyron Woodley to take the belt away, then beat Colby Covington twice, Jorge Masvidal twice, and Gilbert Burns, before losing to Leon Edwards via a knockout. <\/p><p>&ldquo;<strong><em>Win second belt, defend. Maybe more than Kamaru. And to become Hall of Famer, and that&rsquo;s it<\/em><\/strong>.&rdquo; said Makhachev. Beating Usman&rsquo;s mark would cement Makhachev as one of the greatest fighters ever, He dominated lightweight with four title defenses and now, he aims to rule welterweight longer and stronger than it was done by Usman. <\/p><blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DQ9TCw5COFe\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"14\" style=\" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);\"><div style=\"padding:16px;\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DQ9TCw5COFe\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" class=\"trk-cta-link\" data-cta-trk='{\"ctaType\":\"Link\",\"ctaSubType\":\"main\"}'> <div style=\" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;\"> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;\"><\/div> <div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;\"> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;\"><\/div> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div style=\"padding: 19% 0;\"><\/div> <div style=\"display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;\"><svg width=\"50px\" height=\"50px\" viewbox=\"0 0 60 60\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\"><g stroke=\"none\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><g transform=\"translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)\" fill=\"#000000\"><g><path d=\"M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631\"><\/path><\/g><\/g><\/g><\/svg><\/div><div style=\"padding-top: 8px;\"> <div style=\" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;\">View this post on Instagram<\/div><\/div><div style=\"padding: 12.5% 0;\"><\/div> <div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;\"><div> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);\"><\/div> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;\"><\/div> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);\"><\/div><\/div><div style=\"margin-left: 8px;\"> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;\"><\/div> <div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)\"><\/div><\/div><div style=\"margin-left: auto;\"> <div style=\" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);\"><\/div> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);\"><\/div> <div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);\"><\/div><\/div><\/div> <div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;\"> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;\"><\/div> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;\"><\/div><\/div><\/a><p style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DQ9TCw5COFe\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" class=\"trk-cta-link\" data-cta-trk='{\"ctaType\":\"Link\",\"ctaSubType\":\"main\"}'>A post shared by UFC on TNT Sports (@tntsportsufc)<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/blockquote><script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Beating Jack Della Maddalena Will Be Makhachev&rsquo;s Toughest UFC Test Yet<\/h2><p>Jack Della Maddalena stands in his way and he&rsquo;s no easy fight. The Australian champ in on an 18-fight win streak. He took the belt from Belal Muhammad at <a href=\"https:\/\/theplayoffs.news\/en\/mma\/\" class=\"trk-cta-link\" data-cta-trk='{\"ctaType\":\"Link\",\"ctaSubType\":\"main\"}'>UFC <\/a>315 with a clear decision. And JDM is fast, powerful, big, has a great grappling defense and unbeaten since 2016. His striking is crisp and he&rsquo;s hungry to prove himself against the best.<\/p><p>The fact remains that it was Makhachev who is moving up a division and not Della Maddalena. The Dagestani fighter has never faced a welterweight like him, and this isn&rsquo;t just about the belt, it&rsquo;s the hardest challenge of Makhachev&rsquo;s UFC run. One mistake, and the dream for welterweight glory could end. <\/p>\n<div class=\"mm-layout mm-layout-type-post mm-layout-slot4\">\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Islam Makhachev steps into the biggest fight of his career this weekend. On November 15, 2025, he faces Jack Della Maddalena for the UFC welterweight title at UFC 322 in Madison Square Garden. The former lightweight king vacated his 155-pound belt to chase two-division history. At 34, Makhachev carries a 15-fight win streak and pound-for-pound [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":641956,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_mux_skip_reasons":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[1783],"tags":[1821,2565,1786,10571,1983,8980],"class_list":["post-641955","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mma","tag-islam-makhachev","tag-jack-della-maddalena","tag-kamaru-usman","tag-makhachev-vs-maddalena","tag-ufc","tag-ufc-322"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Islam Makhachev Aims to Eclipse Former Champion&#039;s Welterweight Reign After UFC 322 - The Playoffs<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Islam Makhachev eyes a dominant lightweight legacy post-UFC 322, targeting a reign longer than former champ Kamaru Usman.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/theplayoffs.news\/en\/islam-makhachev-aims-to-eclipse-former-champions-welterweight-reign-after-ufc-322\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Islam Makhachev Aims to Eclipse Former Champion&#039;s Welterweight Reign After UFC 322 - The Playoffs\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Islam Makhachev eyes a dominant lightweight legacy post-UFC 322, targeting a reign longer than former champ Kamaru Usman.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/theplayoffs.news\/en\/islam-makhachev-aims-to-eclipse-former-champions-welterweight-reign-after-ufc-322\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"The Playoffs\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-11-12T18:46:54+01:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/theplayoffs.news\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Islam-Makhachev-Aims-to-Eclipse-Former-Champions-Welterweight-Reign-After-UFC-322.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2356\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1571\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Eric Divakaran\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@https:\/\/x.com\/EricHar44584857\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@ThePlayoffsEN\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Eric Divakaran\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"2 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"NewsArticle\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/theplayoffs.news\/en\/islam-makhachev-aims-to-eclipse-former-champions-welterweight-reign-after-ufc-322\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/theplayoffs.news\/en\/islam-makhachev-aims-to-eclipse-former-champions-welterweight-reign-after-ufc-322\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Eric Divakaran\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/theplayoffs.news\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/98ac2e1774499fd4d7a7e37d04514940\"},\"headline\":\"Islam Makhachev Aims to Eclipse Former Champion&#8217;s Welterweight Reign After UFC 322\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-11-12T17:46:50+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-11-12T17:46:54+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/theplayoffs.news\/en\/islam-makhachev-aims-to-eclipse-former-champions-welterweight-reign-after-ufc-322\/\"},\"wordCount\":379,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/theplayoffs.news\/en\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/theplayoffs.news\/en\/islam-makhachev-aims-to-eclipse-former-champions-welterweight-reign-after-ufc-322\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/cdn.theplayoffs.news\/en\/\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Islam-Makhachev-Aims-to-Eclipse-Former-Champions-Welterweight-Reign-After-UFC-322.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"Islam Makhachev\",\"Jack Della Maddalena\",\"Kamaru Usman\",\"Makhachev vs Maddalena\",\"UFC\",\"UFC 322\"],\"articleSection\":[\"MMA\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"copyrightYear\":\"2025\",\"copyrightHolder\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/theplayoffs.news\/en\/#organization\"}},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/theplayoffs.news\/en\/islam-makhachev-aims-to-eclipse-former-champions-welterweight-reign-after-ufc-322\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/theplayoffs.news\/en\/islam-makhachev-aims-to-eclipse-former-champions-welterweight-reign-after-ufc-322\/\",\"name\":\"Islam Makhachev Aims to Eclipse Former Champion\\\\'s Welterweight Reign After UFC 322 - 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