Islam Makhachev secured his place among UFC’s elite after a dominant victory over Jack Della Maddalena to win the welterweight title at UFC 322 in New York. The former lightweight champion controlled all five rounds at Madison Square Garden, earning a unanimous 50-45 decision on every scorecard. His superior grappling and pressure left the Australian with few answers, ending Della Maddalena’s long unbeaten run dating back to 2016. Makhachev, guided by legendary coach Khabib Nurmagomedov, now joins a select group of fighters to win titles in two weight classes. The Russian extended his record to 28 wins and just one loss, saying the performance reflected months of hard preparation. He also expressed interest in competing at the UFC’s planned White House event next summer.
Shevchenko extends dominance with victory over Weili
Valentina Shevchenko reaffirmed her status as one of the greatest female fighters in UFC history with a commanding win over Zhang Weili. The flyweight champion, who sits at the top of the women’s pound-for-pound rankings, swept the scorecards 50-45 across all judges. Shevchenko’s complete performance showcased her control in striking, movement and grappling. The victory brought her level with Amanda Nunes for the most women’s title-fight wins in UFC history, with 11. The 37-year-old also became the second woman to win belts in two divisions, adding strawweight and flyweight titles to her resume. Weili, who had vacated her strawweight belt earlier this year to move up, suffered her first defeat in almost four years.
Edwards suffers third straight loss
Leon Edwards’ struggle to regain momentum continued as he was knocked out by Brazil’s Carlos Prates. The former welterweight champion started strongly and took control of the first round, but a sharp left hand from Prates in the second ended the contest abruptly. It was Edwards’ first career knockout loss and his third defeat in 15 months, raising doubts about his future in the division. Prates improved to 23 wins, including 18 knockouts, boosting his profile as a rising contender in the welterweight ranks. Edwards, once the second British UFC champion, faces a difficult road back as he searches for a way to revive his career.
Discussion about this post