Overview
- Makhachev dominated Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 322 with relentless wrestling and top control, winning 50-45 on all three cards to claim the welterweight belt.
- Manager Ali Abdelaziz stated Makhachev will not return to lightweight and expects the champion to fight more often with a reduced weight cut.
- Makhachev and Abdelaziz named former champion Kamaru Usman as the preferred first defense, and Usman publicly embraced the matchup.
- Betting markets list Usman, Michael Morales, Ian Machado Garry and Shavkat Rakhmonov among the leading options, with the UFC yet to announce an opponent.
- Rising contenders Michael Morales and Carlos Prates strengthened their cases with knockout wins at UFC 322, with Morales responding to Makhachev’s grappling talk in a pointed social media message.