Overview

• As of August 2025, Kayla Harrison is the only American holding a UFC title following Jon Jones’ retirement from heavyweight.
• Makhachev attributes the shift to the promotion increasingly signing fighters from Dagestan, Chechnya and Georgia, saying, “They just started signing more of our guys.”
• He cites cultural pressure and community responsibility as key motivators for Caucasus fighters, contrasting that with how he characterizes American fighters’ reactions to losses.
• Recent results and rankings reflect the trend, with Ilia Topuria ranked No. 1 pound-for-pound, Makhachev No. 2, Merab Dvalishvili No. 3 and Khamzat Chimaev No. 4, plus Chimaev’s middleweight title win and Dvalishvili’s 2025 defenses.
• Acknowledging promotional hurdles for non–English speakers, Makhachev advises fighters from the region to learn English and build their profiles to sell events.