What Did Islam Makhachev Do Before UFC? What Are His Educational Qualifications and Previous Career

32-year-old Islam Makhachev is the current lightweight champion of the UFC and one of the most feared fighters in the promotion. The Dagestani fighter to date has lost only one fight in his career and is slowly inching towards greatness. He will now be facing 35-year-old Dustin Poirier at UFC 302 and will look to defend his title for the third consecutive time.

Makhachev started his training from a very young age and has slowly worked his way to success. While most MMA fans know about his intense training schedule, not much is known about his education. Before his next big fight, let us take a look at his qualifications.

What degrees does 32-year-old Islam Makhachev hold?

Islam Makhachev hails from Dagestan, Russia, and trains with some of the best fighters. His love for the sport started way back when he was 10 years old. However, he initially began training just for the sake of self-defense, with not much emphasis on making it a career. Gradually, the love for the sport intensified and so did his quest to become the best. Before his move to the UFC, the 32-year-old was a four-time Russian champion and also a Combat Sambo World and European champion. His dominant performances finally earned him the opportunity to feature in the world’s biggest fighting league.

Talking about his education, Islam Makhachev does hold a graduate degree. While not much is known about his degree, he completed his education from Dagestan State University, Athletic faculty. The now 32-year-old never took any other profession other than fighting as when asked about his job before he started fighting, he mentioned, “student”.

Makhachev is now a professional fighter with a record second to none. The fans are super excited about his upcoming fight at UFC 302 against Dustin Poirier. Before his clash, the LW champion shared his game plan to neutralize the threat of ‘The Diamond’.

Islam Makhachev feels Dustin Poirier will use his boxing skills to take him out

There are very few fighters in the 155-pound division who possess the power like Poirier. His left hook can be devastating and many experts feel he can cause an upset at UFC 302. Makhachev to date has lost only one fight in his career which came via knockout. He got caught by a left hook which is the biggest strength of Poirier. However, the champion is unfazed by the claims and is prepared for it. The 32-year-old in one of his recent interviews shared his game plan and revealed what exactly he was expecting from ‘The Diamond’.

He said, “Everybody knows Dustin’s game because this guy has been in this sport for many years, and he has always fought the same. It’s not a secret; He has good boxing, and he uses it. That’s why I have to be ready.” Makhachev seems supremely confident before his title defense fight and is confident of beating Poirier.

In most of his interviews, he has claimed to beat the former interim champion. However, one cannot rule out the threat of Poirier in a title fight. His recent form is second to none and many experts feel he can win the title next. Who do you think will win the fight at UFC 302? Let us know in the comments below.