What records will Islam Makhachev break if he wins at UFC 311?

It would not be an exaggeration to say that Islam Makhachev would become the new legend of the MMA world if he continues to defeat Arman Tsarukyan at UFC 311.

Islam Makhachev will enter the lightweight title defense against Arman Tsarukyan at UFC 311, an event taking place on January 19.

Here, people will be waiting for another record to be set, or perhaps not.

The UFC lightweight division has seen 12 champions, with 5 of them sharing the record of 3 consecutive title defenses: BJ Penn, Frankie Edgar, Benson Henderson, Khabib Nurmagomedov, and of course, Islam Makhachev. Arman Tsarukyan will be the fourth opponent in Makhachev’s reign, meaning that if the Dagestan fighter wins, he will surpass all of his predecessors in UFC history.

In his first two title defenses, Makhachev defeated Alexander Volkanovski (UFC 284, UFC 294) to claim the number one spot in the pound-for-pound rankings of the strongest fighters in the promotion. At UFC 302, he continued his dominance by beating Dustin Poirier, marking his 13th consecutive victory in the lightweight division, surpassing his mentor Khabib Nurmagomedov.

Currently, Makhachev holds a 14-fight winning streak (including a no-contest bout with Bobby Green). If he defeats Arman Tsarukyan for the second time, his streak will extend to 15, placing him alongside former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman in second place for the longest winning streaks in UFC history. The current record is held by legend Anderson Silva, with 16 consecutive wins.

In their 2019 bout, Makhachev defeated Tsarukyan by decision after three rounds. However, Tsarukyan was at a disadvantage: he accepted the fight just five days before the event, had no formal training camp, and fought in Russia, which was considered Makhachev’s “home turf.”

Five years later, Makhachev has reached a new level, defeating top-tier opponents like Charles Oliveira, Alexander Volkanovski, and Dustin Poirier. Arman Tsarukyan, on the other hand, has proven himself with an impressive record of 9 wins and 1 loss.

Arman Tsarukyan is undoubtedly the best challenge for Makhachev at this moment

Now, as the rematch is not only about avenging a past loss, Arman must also prove that he deserves to claim the throne from his opponent. More importantly, the Armenian fighter wants to make Makhachev look “worse” than ever before.

“He’s not as good as people think. You guys think he’s unbeatable with his crazy wrestling skills, but remember, I took him down when I was just 22 years old.”

“First, I know wrestling very well. Second, I’m young and hungry. I’ve never held a belt, and that motivates me a lot. I’m full of energy in training and I believe I’m the one who will beat him. But the most important thing is my hunger. I really want that belt. Since I entered the UFC, I’ve been thinking about this, for the past 5 years.”

For Makhachev, continuing to defeat a younger, rising, and hungry opponent like Arman will make his new record much more valuable.

Arman Tsarukyan

By taking down the most formidable face from Dagestan, Islam Makhachev, to prove himself, Arman Tsarukyan understands the importance of this task.

In their first encounter in 2019, Arman Tsarukyan faced numerous difficulties: fighting on the opponent’s home turf, agreeing to the fight just five days before, and having no focused training camp.

Now, in the rematch, not only does Arman seek revenge for the past, but he also has to prove that he deserves to take the throne from his opponent. More importantly, the Armenian fighter wants to make Makhachev look “worse” than ever before.

“He’s not as great as people think. You guys think he’s unbeatable with his crazy wrestling skills, but remember, I took him down when I was just 22 years old.”

Arman Tsarukyan surprised Islam Makhachev in his UFC debut

The image of a rookie, Arman Tsarukyan, daring to wrestle evenly with Islam Makhachev five years ago at UFC Fight Night 149, truly surprised many spectators. Both fighters have shown significant evolution through tough tests over the years, and the upcoming confrontation presents an opportunity for Arman to solidify his name.

“First, I know wrestling very well. Second, I’m young and hungry. I’ve never held a belt, and that motivates me a lot. I’m full of energy in training and I believe I’m the one who will beat him. But the most important thing is my hunger. I really want that belt. Since I entered the UFC, I’ve been thinking about this, for the past 5 years.”

Arman Tsarukyan’s journey has indeed been impressive, but there are still some unanswered questions in certain tests.

In his fight against Mateusz Gamrot, Arman had his first and only experience of fighting five rounds. He was ahead on the scorecards after the first two rounds but was ultimately defeated by the Polish fighter, who turned the fight around with his exceptional wrestling skills.

Will Arman’s growth be enough to defeat a better version of Islam Makhachev?

In his most recent fight against Charles Oliveira, Arman showcased his toughness by engaging in wrestling with one of the best submission specialists in the UFC. However, he also struggled in the third round, finding himself in danger after being trapped in submissions twice, only escaping due to his remarkable endurance and survival instincts until the final seconds.

It is not an exaggeration to say that Arman Tsarukyan will face an Islam Makhachev that brings together all the challenges he has faced before: superior wrestling skills, intense pressure, a sharp sense of submission attacks, and especially a wealth of experience in five-round fights. If Arman truly overcomes Islam Makhachev, he will “finally answer” all the questions fans have had up until now.