Khabib Nurmagomedov knew his protégé was special.
Since hanging up his gloves in 2020, Nurmagomedov has focused his attention on increase the following generation of Dagestani stars. The leader of that pack has been Islam Makhachev, who eventually succeeded ‘The Eagle’ on the UFC lightweight throne.
Now, following a dominant reign that featured 4 successful defenses, Makhachev is moving as much as welterweight. He’ll challenge Jack Della Maddalena within the UFC 322 major event, hoping to be crowned a two-division king at Madison Square Garden.
Makhachev is on the precipice of further greatness, and that comes as no surprise to his mentor, who essentially predicted as much over a decade ago.
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Khabib Nurmagomedov told fans to ‘remember the name’ Islam Makhachev in 2014
Khabib recently joined Makhachev in Recent York ahead of UFC 322, because the retired legend helps with the ultimate stages of his protégé’s maiden welterweight camp.
‘The Eagle’ is little doubt expecting his fighter so as to add more gold to his résumé soon enough, and people are the sort of achievements he told fans to expect way back in 2014.
“My teammate Islam Makhachev (11-0). Probably the greatest young fighters in Europe,” Nurmagomedov wrote on X in Russian.
“Remember this name. World sambo champion.”
‘The Eagle’ recently borrowed Dana White’s catchphrase while re-sharing a post on his Instagram Story that highlighted his successful prediction from over a decade ago.
“For those who don’t know, now .”
White famously uses that line in social media videos while picking out a few of the perfect fights on upcoming UFC cards.
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Two legends could join the list of double champions at UFC 322
In relation to joining the club of two-division champions on MMA’s biggest stage on November 15, Makhachev just isn’t the one fighter making their attempt.
Before the Dagestani battles Della Maddalena within the major event, Zhang Weili will challenge flyweight queen Valentina Shevchenko in a co-headlining superfight. The Chinese star vacated her strawweight crown within the midst of her second reign, as she goals for history at 125 kilos.
Makhachev and Weili need to join a gaggle of UFC double champions that’s currently 10 strong, with essentially the most recent addition being Ilia Topuria.
| Name | Divisions | Simultaneous? |
| Randy Couture | Heavyweight & Light Heavyweight | No |
| BJ Penn | Welterweight & Lightweight | No |
| Conor McGregor | Lightweight & Featherweight | Yes |
| Georges St-Pierre | Middleweight & Welterweight | No |
| Daniel Cormier | Heavyweight & Light Heavyweight | Yes |
| Amanda Nunes | Featherweight & Bantamweight | Yes |
| Henry Cejudo | Bantamweight & Flyweight | Yes |
| Jon Jones | Heavyweight & Light Heavyweight | No |
| Alex Pereira | Light Heavyweight & Middleweight | No |
| Ilia Topuria | Lightweight & Featherweight | No |
While 10 stars have collected two belts to date, no fighter has achieved title glory across three separate weight classes within the UFC. Makhachev doesn’t plan on being the primary, having recently revealed that he’s content staying at welterweight after UFC 322.
Topuria, alternatively, has made his desire to follow the Dagestani as much as 170 kilos in pursuit of a historic third championship known.