Dagestan’s Islam Makhachev became a household name in the UFC after capturing the UFC lightweight championship by defeating Charles Oliveira at UFC 280 almost two years ago.
Since winning the belt, he’s successfully defended it twice, both times against the former UFC featherweight king Alexander Volkanovski. Including his two bouts against Volk, Makhachev has fought 26 times in an MMA cage and all but two of his bouts have been fought at the lightweight division.
The UFC’s lightweight division is contested by fighters who weight between 145 to 155 pounds, as defined by the Nevada State Athletic Commission and Association of Boxing Commissions. So that means on the day of the weigh-ins, which is one day before fight night, Islam Makhachev must weigh no more than 155 pounds or risks losing his title on the scales.
In his entire MMA career, Makhachev has fought above that limit only twice. That was at M-1 Challenge 41 on September 7, 2014 in Russia when he was involved in a fight with a catchweight of 65 pounds. Two years ago Makhachev and Bobby Green fought at a catchweight of 160 pounds in the main event of UFC Fight Night 202. Otherwise, the Dagestani has made weight in all of his bout.
Prior to starting his training camp for his last bout at UFC 294, Makhachev was said to have weighed 191 pounds. He was 155 pounds during the weigh-ins and rehydrated to 185 pounds of the day of his second fight with Volkanovski.