MOSCOW, May 12. /TASS/. Russia’s Islam Makhachev, the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Reigning Lightweight Champion, will hold his next bout against Australia’s Jack Della Maddalena for the champion’s title in the Welterweight Division, Ali Abdel-Aziz, the Russian fighter’s manager, told TASS on Monday.
On May 10, Maddalena defeated Belal Muhammad (24 wins; four defeats) of the United States based on the referees’ unanimous decision to grab the Welterweight Champion’s belt.
"Islam [Makhachev] is set to gain weight and fight for the [Welterweight Division] champion’s title," Abdel-Aziz said in an interview with TASS. "As of now, I cannot announce the exact date of the fight."
Makhachev, 33, boasts a record of 27 wins (five by KO/TKO, 13 by submission, nine by decision) and one defeat. The Russian fighter won the UFC Lightweight Champion’s title in October 2022 and since then he successfully defended it four times.
Australia’s UFC Welterweight Champion Maddalena, 28, holds a record of 18 wins (12 by KO/TKO, two by submission and four by decision) and two defats (one by KO/TKO, one by submission).
The Ultimate Fighting Championship is the world’s largest mixed martial arts (MMA) promotional event, featuring the world’s top-ranked fighters. Numerous Russian fighters take part in UFC competitions.