• Islam Makhachev set a new UFC record for lightweight title defenses with a dominant first-round submission victory over Renato Moicano.
• Makhachev further cemented his legacy by retaining his lightweight title and expressing his ambition to become a three-division champion.
The Muslim Dagestani MMA star set a new record for the most lightweight title defences in UFC history on Saturday night, submitting Renato Moicano in the first round at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California.
Islam Makhachev wasted no time dispatching Renato Moicano, securing a victory via D’Arce choke to retain his lightweight title at UFC 311. This marked a historic fifth successful defense of the lightweight crown for Makhachev, who had originally been slated to face Arman Tsarukyan in a long-anticipated rematch. However, Tsarukyan was forced to withdraw due to a back injury suffered on the eve of the event. In response, Moicano stepped up on short notice, shifting from his scheduled bout with Beneil Dariush to the main event.
Despite his readiness, Moicano proved no match for the UFC’s pound-for-pound king. Makhachev dominated from the outset, finishing the Brazilian with just one minute left in the opening round to further cement his legacy.
“I can be three-division [champion] also,” said Makhachev at the UFC 311 post-fight press conference.
“Just give me the chance, that is it. I will fight with Du Plessis.
