Islam Makhachev retains lightweight belt against Renato Moicano at UFC 311

Following Renato Moicano’s first-round submission at UFC 311, Islam Makhachev, who is 10th overall, has successfully defended his lightweight championship belt.

At the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California on Saturday, the Russian mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter won in four minutes and five seconds.

Makhachev, who holds a record of 27 wins and one loss, was quick to administer a D’Arce choke on his Brazilian opponent after taking him down quickly.

The 33-year-old Makhachev won five titles in a row, which is the most impressive feat of any fighter in his division, successfully defending his belt four times. It was his 13th win by submission.

“I like this belt”, said Makhachev, the UFC’s top-ranked pound-for-pound fighter and the most decorated lightweight ever. “If somebody wants this belt, come to the cage”.

Arman Tsarukyan, the top-ranked competitor, pulled out of the fight on Friday because “of significant back pain” related to an injury, and Moicano was the replacement at the last minute.

The 35-year-old Moicano, from Brazil, came in with nine victories in his past 10 fights, but proved to be no match for Makhachev, whose grappling has been unmatched as he continues to prove why he is one of the best in the world.

Moicano claimed Makhachev was the better fighter, and Moicano was harsher on himself. He worries, however, that it may have been his one shot at championship glory.

“That wasn’t a one-day notice”, Moicano said after the fight. “That was a life’s notice. I’m very sad. I devoted my entire life to this situation and tapped in the first round.

Makhachev claimed that he has no preference for his opponent’s next move.

Champion Merab Dvalishvili’s first title defense came in an epic, action-packed bantamweight title fight, handing second-ranked rival Umar Nurmagomedov his first defeat of his career.

Both fighters dominated throughout the match, with Dvalishvili coming out strong after Nurmagomedov had taken the lead after the first two rounds when two of the three judges had it in Nurmagomedov’s favor.

After the first round, Nurmagomedov claimed to have broken his left hand and was unable to use it.

In a light-heavyweight match, second-ranked Jamahal Hill was stopped after three minutes by former champion and second-ranked Jiri Prochazka, who used a flurry of punches in the third round to oust him.

In the heavyweight division, sixth-ranked Jailton Almeida used a flurry of right hands to hurt seventh-ranked Serghei Spivac late in the first round and used a ground-and-pound attack to finish the match with a TKO at the 4: 53 mark.

At 3:31 of the first round, Reinier de Ridder put a rear-naked chokehold on Kevin Holland before he was too late to take him down.