Overview
- Islam Makhachev defeated Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 322 to become welterweight champion, returned to No. 1 pound-for-pound, and tied Anderson Silva’s 16-fight UFC win streak.
- Makhachev has pointed to Kamaru Usman for his first defense, and Usman said Makhachev is the one welterweight who “scares me” while arguing Carlos Prates and Michael Morales need more tests.
- Daniel Cormier called unbeaten Shavkat Rakhmonov “easily the hardest fight” for Makhachev, but Rakhmonov’s title hopes are clouded by inactivity after withdrawing injured from a scheduled shot.
- UFC 322 elevated fresh contenders as Carlos Prates knocked out Leon Edwards and Michael Morales finished Sean Brady, with Morales rising to No. 3 in the latest welterweight rankings.
- Ian Machado Garry, set to face Belal Muhammad at UFC Qatar, vowed a win makes him next for Makhachev and dismissed an Usman bout as an easy paycheck for the new champion.