UFC 302 witnessed the clash between the lightweight champ, Islam Makhachev, and Dustin Poirier. The Dagestani followed the path of his mentor, Khabib Nurmagomedov, and submitted ‘Diamond’ to successfully defend his title. Makhachev equaled Nurmagomedov’s longtime record of three title defenses in the lightweight division. In addition, he also created the record for the longest winning streak in the lightweight division with fourteen straight victories.

Following Makhachev’s victory at the UFC 302, the Dagestani head of state was immensely proud of his esteemed fighter. Makhachev got the national award from the Head of the Republic of Dagestan.

Islam Makhachev reacts as he gets the national award from Dagestan

The Republic of Dagestan has been producing some crazy MMA talents recently. The emergence of Khabib Nurmagomedov in the UFC started a new era of fighters from the mountain region who were motivated to conquer the Octagon. After Nurmagomedov, it was the turn of his protege, Islam Makhachev, to rule the arena and that’s what Makhachev did.

As of today, Makhachev has defended his title three times, has achieved the longest winning streak in the lightweight division, and has become the number one pound-for-pound fighter in the world.

The head of the state of Dagestan, Sergey Melikov awarded the “Order of Honour of the Republic of Dagestan III Order ” to Makhachev. It is one of the highest civilian honors of the state of Dagestan. After clinching the medal, Makhachev thanked the head of state for his continuous support.

“We know that you support us and watch us fight, so we give our all not to let you down. We train hard to create every possible reason for us to keep winning. Thank you so much for your support. We’re always told that you care and ask if our training camps are going well,” said Makhachev.

Makhachev has been a dominant force that is yet to be stopped by any fighter. With a record of 26 victories and 1 loss, the 32-year-old stands at the pinnacle of the lightweight division but is there any challenge to his dominance? Well, there’s one. It’s his former opponent and you can say his neighbor.

The saga of Makhachev and Arman Tsarukyan

The saga of Arman Tsaurkyan and Islam Makhachev dates back to 2019 when they first fought against each other. It was Tsarukyan’s debut fight and despite being a newcomer to the organization, ‘Ahalkalakets’ gave a tough fight to Makhachev. However, in the end, the Dagestani won by unanimous decision. Five years hence, the duo is face-to-face with each other again.

Tsarukyan defeated Charles Oliveira in UFC 300 to become the number one contender for the UFC title and is looking to lock horns with the undisputed champion. After Makhachev’s victory, ‘Ahalkalakets’ took to his X handle and challenged the lightweight champ for a clash. “Congrats to Islam! But don’t try to run away to another division. You’ve only defended your title once against a real lightweight, and I’m next in line,” wrote Tsarukyan.

In response to Tsarukyan’s challenge, Islam Makhachev had a few words for him. In an interview with Red Corner MMA, Makhachev said, “He just talks a lot. He can’t get any attention through his fights, so he’s trying to do this by talking. He had his shot, I beat him once. I guess I’ll have to do it again.” 

UFC would be scheduling their fight sooner or later. Who do you think will emerge victorious in the clash of the neighbors? State your thoughts in the comments below.