Islam Makhachev retained his lightweight title with a rapid submission of Renato Moicano at UFC 311, seeing off the late-notice challenger with a first-round D’Arce choke.
Makhachev was expecting to face Arman Tsarukyan, whom he outpointed six years ago, but the latter suffered a back injury the day before the fight. As a result, Moicano was pulled from his scheduled bout with Beneil Dariush and placed in the main event.
But the Brazilian, 35, was no match for Makhachev, 33, who took down Moicano and soon locked in a D’Arce. It was the same technique with which the Russian won his last fight, against Dustin Poirier in June.
With Saturday’s win, Makhachev cemented his status as the UFC’s pound-for-pound No 1 fighter, as he won a record-breaking fourth title defence at 155lb – and scored a 15th straight victory overall.
In Makhachev’s corner was his coach and childhood friend Khabib Nurmagomedov, who was also in the corner of Umar Nurmagomedov in UFC 311’s co-main event.
Umar, one of Khabib’s cousins, was challenging Merab Dvalishvili for his bantamweight title and came up short in a scintillating five-round fight.
Dvalishvili won a unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 49-46), after using his famous pressure and cardio to overturn an apparent early lead. With that, the Georgian handed Nurmagomedov his first professional loss.
Some within MMA felt that Dvalishvili was too big of an underdog, per the betting odds, and he proved them right with his impressive comeback in Los Angeles.
Elsewhere at UFC 311, Jiri Prochazka knocked out Jamahal Hill in a clash of former light-heavyweight champions. The Czech stopped the American in round three, having also dropped Hill in round one.
