Islam Makhachev not only carried the heavy burden of expectations that were placed upon him but somehow managed to exceed them.
The pound-for-pound ace and reigning Ultimate Fighting Championship lightweight titleholder will defend his undisputed crown when he rematches Arman Tsarukyan in the UFC 311 main event on Jan. 18 at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles. Makhachev, 33, has rattled off 14 consecutive victories—he took a three-round unanimous decision from Tsarukyan in 2019 as part of the tear—to move his overall record to a ridiculous 26-1. He last saw action at UFC 302, where he put away American Top Team’s Dustin Poirier with a rear-naked choke in the fifth round of their memorable June 1 encounter.