Lightweight champion Islam Makhachev has confirmed that he has begun his training camp for his next fight. According to Makhachev, the opponent has already verbally agreed to the bout, though no official announcement has been made by the UFC. The post speculates whether the opponent could be Ian Garry or if other options are being considered. No date or venue has been announced for the title defense. Makhachev's return would be highly anticipated as he looks to continue his dominant reign.
Lightweight champion Islam Makhachev has reportedly begun preparations for his next title defense, with the Russian star claiming a verbal agreement is already in place with an opponent — though the UFC has yet to make any official announcement.
Makhachev, 34, holds a professional record of 28-1 and is widely regarded as one of the sport's premier fighters. The Dagestani southpaw trains out of Eagles MMA and stands five-foot-ten with a 70-inch reach. His statistical profile underscores his all-around dominance: he lands 2.63 significant strikes per minute at an elite 58 percent accuracy, while also threatening constantly on the mat with 3.2 takedowns per 15 minutes and 1.1 submission attempts per 15 minutes. No date or venue has been tied to this prospective contest, and the identity of the challenger remains unconfirmed, with speculation circulating around Ian Garry among other possibilities.
Why it matters
- Makhachev's next outing will be another defense of his title, keeping the division's landscape in focus
- A verbal agreement already reportedly in place suggests an announcement could come in the near term, pending UFC confirmation
- The unresolved question of the opponent leaves significant ranking implications unclear across the division
Because no official confirmation has come from the promotion, every element of this report should be treated as unverified. Makhachev's camp beginning is the one concrete detail he has put forward publicly.
