Islam Makhachev was robbed while traveling in Italy, with thieves stealing his luggage. Among the stolen items were football boots belonging to Georgian footballer Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. The thieves also took Makhachev's passport, though it was later returned. The post references a previous statement by Khabib Nurmagomedov advising against reading books about Sicilians, making a humorous connection to the Italian robbery. Details about the circumstances of the theft or when it occurred are limited in the report.
Islam Makhachev found himself the victim of a theft during a trip to Italy, with the UFC lightweight champion losing luggage that contained some unusual valuables — including a pair of football boots belonging to Paris Saint-Germain winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
The 34-year-old Dagestani, who competes out of Eagles MMA alongside longtime training partner Khabib Nurmagomedov, holds a 28-1-0 professional record and currently sits atop the welterweight division as champion, widely regarded as one of the pound-for-pound best fighters on the planet. Inside the cage, Makhachev is one of the most complete operators in MMA, posting 3.2 takedowns per 15 minutes and averaging 1.1 submission attempts per 15 minutes alongside a striking accuracy of 58 percent. Outside of it, apparently, he is not immune to the hazards of European travel.
Among the stolen items was his passport, though reports indicate it was later recovered and returned to him. The boots belonging to the Georgian football star Kvaratskhelia represent the more eyebrow-raising loss — suggesting Makhachev had received them as a gift or keepsake at some point prior to the trip.
Adding a layer of dry humor to the situation, the report references a remark previously made by Khabib Nurmagomedov advising against reading books about Sicilians — a knowing nod to the Italian setting of the theft that will not be lost on fans of the Dagestani camp's social media presence.
Why it matters
- Makhachev is the reigning champion and the story draws unusual public attention to the sport's biggest star off the back of a lighthearted but genuine incident
- The Kvaratskhelia connection highlights the crossover appeal Makhachev has developed beyond combat sports
- Khabib's quoted reference adds context to how the team itself has framed the episode publicly
