UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev didn’t just arrive at welterweight at UFC 322, he dominated. In his 170-pound debut, the lightweight king shut down Jack Della Maddalena across five rounds, walked out of Madison Square Garden with a second UFC title, and made it clear he feels stronger, freer, and far more dangerous at this weight class.
After the fight, Makhachev admitted he felt like a different fighter inside the cage.
“I swear, I feel different today,” Islam Makhachev said on About Last Fight. “When I take him down, I can control him like anyone. I just feel more power. I can hold him. I can do whatever.”
For the first time in years, he wasn’t drained, light-headed, or fighting on limited recovery time. After setting the lightweight title defence record earlier this year, Makhachev revealed he had only been operating at 50–70 per cent during most of his fights due to brutal weight cuts.
“Not many fighters recover 100 per cent from hard weight cuts,” he explained. “Twenty-five, thirty hours is not enough. But today, I felt fully recovered because I’m not cutting much weight.”
He went deeper, explaining how moving up changed everything, his energy, his mindset, and even his lifestyle.
“All your life you think about the weight cut. You can’t eat with your friends, you can’t go out. You just want to save energy for training. Life is changed at 170, and I’m happy.”
And now that he’s here, he’s ready for the biggest challenges the division can offer. UFC 322 produced big welterweight moments from Michael Morales and Carlos Prates, but Makhachev’s choice for his first title defense is Kamaru Usman.
“Morales and Prates fought very well, but I still think Kamaru can beat them both,” Islam Makhachev said. “He’s still dangerous. If you ask me who I want to fight, I will take Kamaru. Anyone, I will be ready.”
Usman, who was cageside in New York, agreed with the champion’s assessment.
“I think he’s right,” Usman said. “Prates and Morales looked fantastic, but if guys like myself and Islam are in the division, things can change quickly. With Islam, I don’t see holes. That’s what scares me.”
Even Ali Abdelaziz, who manages both fighters, believes the matchup is the one that elevates legacies, not just rankings.
“Beating young guys does nothing for his legacy,” Abdelaziz said. “Kamaru Usman is the real challenge. And Islam wants to fight the real deal.”
Makhachev’s win over Maddalena wasn’t just dominant, it was a declaration. He’s not returning to lightweight. He feels stronger, healthier, and far more complete at welterweight, and now he’s eyeing one of the most decorated champions of the modern era.
With UFC officials weighing options for his first title defence, all signs point to a massive showdown between Islam Makhachev and Kamaru Usman, a legacy fight between two generational talents.
