Islam Makhachev joined the elite list of two-weight champions by beating Jack Della Maddalena to become the new UFC welterweight title holder.
Former lightweight champion Makhachev becomes only the 11th fighter to win titles across two divisions in the UFC following a dominant victory at Madison Square Garden in New York.
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The Russian was awarded a unanimous points victory from the five-round contest at UFC 322, with all three scorecards having him 50-45 up as his grappling skills proved decisive.
“I feel amazing,” Makhachev told the UFC website. “I try to control my emotions but I am so happy.
“Jack is one of the best in this game. We trained hard to prepare for him. It’s why we made this easy, it’s because we trained so hard for him.”
Makhachev, who is coached by UFC legend Khabib Nurmagomedov and has not lost a fight since 2015, improved his record to 28 wins and one loss.
Australian Della Maddalena lost for the first time since May 2016 and has three defeats and 18 wins from 21 fights.
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Makhachev wants to fight at the UFC’s White House event next summer and added: “I am ready to fight with the biggest names in this sport.”
Shevchenko sees off Weili challenge
Shevchenko (right) is one of the most successful athletes in UFC history [Getty Images]
Valentina Shevchenko beat Zhang Weili in defence of her UFC flyweight belt and joined Amanda Nunes on 11 at the top of the list of women with the most UFC title fight wins.
Shevchenko, who is top of the women’s pound-for-pound rankings, overwhelmed her opponent from China to emerge a 50-45, 50-45, 50-45 winner.
The 37-year-old’s victory also means she is only the second woman to become a two-division UFC champion after Nunes, although she is the first to do it at strawweight and flyweight.
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“It was an amazing fight,” said Shevchenko, who has a record of 26 wins, four defeats and a draw.
“I was trying to show the dominant positions in every aspect and don’t have any questions that this fight is mine.
Weili, who vacated her strawweight belt in February, moved up in weight for the fight and was beaten for the first time since November 2021.
Edwards at crossroads after third straight loss
Leon Edwards was the UK’s second ever UFC champion [Getty Images]
Leon Edwards was knocked out by Carlos Prates to leave his MMA career hanging in the balance after three straight defeats.
The Briton was searching for his first win since 2023 and had hoped to kickstart a run at reclaiming the welterweight title he lost.
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Edwards, 34, dominated the first round but was stopped cold by a straight left hand from Prates in the second round.
Brazil’s Prates improved to 23 wins, 18 of those by knockout, while Edwards slumped to the sixth defeat of his career – three of those in the past 15 months.
It is the first knockout loss for Edwards while 32-year-old Prates will now count himself among the top contenders for the UFC title.
