Islam Makhachev
Active 2015–present · rated in 5 editions across 2 divisions · peak overall 97.0
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Islam Makhachev at lightweight
Scouting report
Top control, trip takedowns, and southpaw counter-striking carried Islam Makhachev to the UFC lightweight title and the sport's pound-for-pound number-one ranking. Hailing from Makhachkala, Dagestan, and trained under Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, Makhachev defended the belt against elite champions. His grappling is underpinned by an 89 Wrestling rating, 92 Fight IQ, and 96 Cardio.
Peak ratings
By edition
Makhachev embarked on his rise between 2018 and 2019, knocking out Gleison Tibau in round one in Boston, submitting Kajan Johnson with an armbar in Calgary, defeating Arman Tsarukyan in a grappling contest in St. Petersburg, and outpointing Davi Ramos at UFC 242 in Abu Dhabi. His Combat Sambo trips, takedowns, and top control are reflected in an 94 Wrestling and 90 Cardio.
In 2021, Makhachev submitted Drew Dober with an arm-triangle at UFC 259, tapped Thiago Moises in a Las Vegas main event, and submitted top-ranked Dan Hooker with a first-round kimura at UFC 267 in Abu Dhabi. His top rides, submission transitions, and chain wrestling justify his 96 Wrestling and 92 Cardio.
Makhachev reached undisputed status between 2022 and 2024, submitting Charles Oliveira at UFC 280 in Abu Dhabi to win the UFC Lightweight Championship, defending his title twice against Alexander Volkanovski in Perth and Abu Dhabi with a head kick knockout, and submitting Dustin Poirier with a D'Arce choke at UFC 302 in Newark. His grappling, improved boxing, and championship stamina are reflected in an 98 Wrestling and 87 Boxing.
Islam Makhachev and the fight that is over before it starts
Islam Makhachev comes out of Dagestan with a combat sambo base and a training partner named Khabib Nurmagomedov, and the whole thing shows in how he fights. He closes the distance, gets a hold of the legs or the waist, and the opponent spends the round defending instead of attacking. Draft him when you want a rating sheet with no obvious hole and a plan that works the same way every time.
Makhachev attribute by attribute
Boxing. Better than his reputation. The hands are mostly there to force a reaction so the level change lands, but they are tidy and have gotten sharper with each year of the data.
Kickboxing. Serviceable and a little underrated. He kicks the legs and body to set up entries, and the head kick that knocked out Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 294 shows the strikes are not a bluff.
Wrestling. The engine of the build. Chain wrestling along the fence, body locks, trips into mat returns. Once he grabs you, getting back to your feet is a project.
BJJ. Heavy top game with real finishing ability. He submitted Charles Oliveira with an arm-triangle and later submitted Dustin Poirier at UFC 302.
Strength. Strong in the clinch and on the cage, where his grips do most of the work. He does not need to look big to move bigger opponents around.
Durability. Solid. He absorbs a bit of punishment on his way in and his chin has held up against top strikers.
Cardio. Comfortable across five rounds. He does not slow down after the takedown attempts, which is when most wrestlers fade.
Fight IQ. Excellent. He picks his moments, takes a round when he needs one, and rarely gets pulled into a fight he did not choose.
Best slot to spend: Wrestling
The wrestling number is the one that makes every other number matter. Makhachev takes the fight to the mat and then his BJJ, strength and Fight IQ all get to work in a place where the opponent is uncomfortable. Put him in the slot where a mat game decides rounds.
Where he gives a little back: Boxing
Boxing and kickboxing are his lowest marks, and both are still high. The gap only shows against a pure striker who stuffs his first two takedowns. If your other picks are already heavy on wrestling, pair him with someone who can win exchanges on the feet.
Islam Makhachev at welterweight
Scouting report
Stepping up to 170 pounds to chase dual-division champion immortality, Islam Makhachev brings the ultimate combat sambo blueprint to a physically imposing welterweight division. Liberated from a grueling lightweight weight cut, the Dagestani maestro utilizes explosive upper-body judo trips along the cage, suffocating top-wrist control, and laser-accurate southpaw check hooks to neutralize larger opposition. In 25-0 draft formats, his welterweight card serves as a premier tactical anchor—pairing an elite 98 Wrestling foundation and 96 Fight IQ with the strength reserve to drag heavy welterweights into deep, inescapable waters.
Peak ratings
Islam Makhachev asked to fight at 170
Islam Makhachev was a lightweight champion who trains out of the Dagestani school built around Khabib Nurmagomedov. In November 2025 he vacated that belt, moved up 15 pounds and beat Jack Della Maddalena by unanimous decision to win the welterweight title, taking him down in all five rounds. This card rates that 170-pound version, and the top ratings are still built on the mat. A drafter would pick him here for the safety. Every rating is above 85, and the best ones sit in the areas that decide fights between big men in a cage.
Welterweight ratings, explained
Boxing. Tied for his lowest at 87. His striking is technical and mostly supports his grappling.
Kickboxing. Also 87. Kicks are effective, and clean hooks and straights bring the fight to close range.
Wrestling. His best at 98. Takedowns are relentless and hard to defend against.
BJJ. Elite at 95. He controls the floor and looks for chokes.
Strength. Very high at 91. He holds his own against larger opponents.
Durability. Very high at 91. He rarely gets hurt.
Cardio. Elite at 95. His pace is strong all the way through.
Fight IQ. Elite at 96. His plans are consistent and he adapts as needed.
The card is Wrestling at 98
Wrestling at 98 is the top rating and the core of the card. At welterweight it still allows him to decide where the fight goes.
The tied lows: Boxing and Kickboxing
Boxing and Kickboxing both sit at 87. Those are still strong numbers, so the card has no real weakness. Its lowest rating is 87, so the pick costs you nothing in any single category.
Keep exploring
Closest lightweight profiles to Islam Makhachev, measured by how near their peak attribute ratings sit across all eight categories.
- Arman Tsarukyanbest wrestling 94 · weakest strength 86
- Khabib Nurmagomedovbest wrestling 99 · weakest kickboxing 74
- Mateusz Gamrotbest wrestling 94 · weakest strength 82
- Benson Hendersonbest cardio 96 · weakest strength 84
- Lightweight division guide: how the whole division rates and who to draft from it.
- Welterweight division guide: how the whole division rates and who to draft from it.
- Grappling vs striking in the draft: a guide that fits Islam Makhachev's strongest attribute, Wrestling.
Draft Islam Makhachev into your build
Islam Makhachev enters the pool on any spin landing on lightweight or welterweight between 2018 and present. Spin, draft eight attributes, then simulate 25 fights.
Ratings shown are our own, built from independent research and from how Islam Makhachev is regarded by the MMA community, with earlier MMA video games used only as a starting baseline for the scale. They are unofficial and do not constitute an assessment of Islam Makhachev's real-world abilities. See the disclaimer below. Last reviewed 2026-09-30; spot an error? Tell us. Read how we check our write-ups in our editorial standards.