MMA Knockout

Islam Makhachev matches UFC win streak record & claims second belt at UFC 322

The former lightweight king has now won 16 fights in a row.
Drew Beaupre|
(Zuffa LLC)

A massive UFC 322 card closed out with a highly-anticipated welterweight title fight between Jack Della Maddalena and Islam Makhachev.

Serving as the main event for the UFC's annual trip to Madison Square Garden, the matchup saw Makhachev move up to 170 lbs. after vacating his lightweight belt in order to pursue championship glory in a second weight class.

Both men carried the momentum of massive win streaks into their UFC 322 clash, but it was Makhachev who put on a dominant performance in a new weight class to dethrone Della Maddalena.

Islam Makhachev Shuts Out Jack Della Maddalena To Win Title

Entering the cage for his first title defense after unseating Belal Muhammad at UFC 315, Della Maddalena found himself as a prohibitive underdog against his first challenger even though he was undefeated in the UFC.

READ MORE: UFC 322 free live stream results & highlights for Della Maddalena vs. Islam Makhachev

Makhachev successfully defended his lightweight belt four times before deciding to make the move up to 170 lbs., and fans were eager to see how 34-year-old's vaunted skill set would work against larger competition.

The champion quickly took the center of the cage while the two men spent the opening minute exchanging strikes, but it only took one attempt for Makhachev to bring things to the canvas and establish top control. Della Maddalena nearly made it back to his feet before being put on his back again, and that's where he remained for the remainder of the round.

A surprise trip attempt off the fence from Della Maddalena saw the Australian get reversed and return to his back up until the final 10 seconds of the second round. The third frame saw the two welterweights trade strikes for nearly two minutes for Makhachev secured another takedown that his opponent couldn't escape from.

READ MORE: Bo Nickal closes out UFC 322 prelims with incredible one-shot KO

It was clear that Makhachev's leg kicks had taken a toll when Della Maddalena came out to start the fourth round, and his only reprieve from the attack came when he was brought back down to the mat. A desperate escape attempt allowed Makhachev to briefly take his opponent's back before he returned to top position for most of the round.

Della Maddalena's corner implored him to try for a finish ahead of the final round, but a quick takedown allowed Makhachev to control the action and secure his second UFC title via dominant unanimous decision.

The co-main event of UFC 322 also saw Valentina Shevchenko halt Weili Zhang's double-champ bid with a dominant performance, and before that the main card opened with three-straight finishes from Benoit Saint-Denis, Carlos Prates, and Michael Morales.

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Drew Beaupre
DREW BEAUPRE

Drew is an MMA writer that regularly watches regional events in addition to major promotions such as the UFC, PFL, Bellator, and ONE Championship. He joined MMA Knockout when it was founded in 2023.

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