INGLEWOOD, California — Lightweight champion Islam Makhachev achieved his 15th consecutive victory by submitting 10th-ranked Renato Moicano at 4:05 into the first round during UFC 311 on Saturday night.
Makhachev (27-1-0) demonstrated his dominance quickly, taking down Moicano (20-6-1) and locking in a D’Arce choke almost immediately after the bout commenced.
The 33-year-old Makhachev has now set a record in his division, boasting the most title fight wins with five, and he has also managed to accomplish what no other competitor in this category has succeeded in doing by defending his championship four times. This victory marked his 13th win by submission.
“I like this belt,” Makhachev stated, reinforcing his position as the UFC’s top-ranked pound-for-pound fighter and the most accomplished lightweight in the organization’s history. “If somebody wants this belt, come to the cage.”
Moicano took the fight on short notice, stepping in for top-ranked challenger Arman Tsarukyan, who withdrew just a day before the fight due to significant back pain stemming from an injury.
Despite entering the match with nine wins in his last ten contests, the 35-year-old Brazilian found himself outmatched by Makhachev, who continues to display exceptional grappling skills that affirm his status as one of the global elite in the sport.
In another highlight of the night, bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili (19-4-0) successfully defended his title for the first time, extending his winning streak to an impressive 12 fights while handing second-ranked Umar Nurmagomedov (18-1-0) the first defeat of his career.
The bout was intense, with both fighters having their moments of control, but Dvalishvili made a strong finish, overcoming a challenge as two of the three judges had Nurmagomedov ahead after the first two rounds.
Nurmagomedov reported that he suffered a possible fracture in his left hand, which limited his effectiveness after the first round.
In light heavyweight action, former champion and second-ranked Jiri Prochazka (31-5-1) overwhelmed third-ranked Jamahal Hill (12-3-0) with a series of powerful punches in the third round, resulting in a technical knockout at 3:01.
In the heavyweight category, sixth-ranked Jailton Almeida (22-3-0) delivered a combination of right hands that hurt seventh-ranked Serghei Spivac (17-5-0) late in the first round and finished the battle with ground-and-pound, achieving a TKO at the 4:53 mark.
Lastly, Reinier de Ridder (19-2-0) wasted little time in their middleweight matchup against Kevin Holland (26-13-0), taking him down just about 10 seconds into the contest and securing a rear-naked chokehold to conclude the fight at 3:31 of the opening round.
