UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev has repeatedly drawn attention to the poor quality and chaotic nature of construction in Dagestan, particularly in Makhachkala. Seventeen days ago, during severe flooding in the region, Makhachev publicly called on regional authorities to address the construction issues, stating that Makhachkala has become one giant chaotic construction site. Today he reposted content from geographer and schoolteacher Dmitry Koryukhin showing aerial photos illustrating what was described as an urban planning catastrophe. The posts note that low-quality residential complexes are being built closely together, with many standing half-empty despite the region's stable or declining population. Makhachev's advocacy on this social issue has been praised for highlighting an important regional problem.
UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev has used his public platform to speak out against what he describes as a construction crisis unfolding in Dagestan, with the advocacy spanning at least the past several weeks.
Seventeen days before this report, amid severe flooding that struck the region, Makhachev publicly called on local authorities to confront the disorder reshaping Makhachkala, declaring that the city had become one vast, chaotic construction site. He returned to the issue this week by resharing aerial photography from geographer and schoolteacher Dmitry Koryukhin, imagery described as evidence of an urban planning catastrophe. The photos highlight densely packed, low-quality residential complexes, many of which reportedly sit half-empty even as the region's population remains stable or in decline.
Makhachev, 34, holds a professional record of 28 wins and one loss and is the reigning champion of the lightweight division, where he also holds the number-one pound-for-pound ranking. The Russian southpaw trains out of Eagles MMA and stands 178 centimeters tall with a 178-centimeter reach. Inside the octagon he is regarded as one of the sport's most complete fighters, averaging 3.2 takedowns per fifteen minutes alongside a striking accuracy rate of 58 percent.
Why it matters
- Makhachev is among the most prominent athletes to emerge from Dagestan, giving his words significant reach within the region and beyond.
- His comments connect a natural disaster — the recent flooding — directly to man-made planning failures, lending urgency to the critique.
- The resharing of Koryukhin's aerial documentation signals a sustained, evidence-based approach to the advocacy rather than a one-off reaction.
- Public praise for his willingness to engage with the issue suggests broader community concern about development practices in Makhachkala.
