On Saturday, in the main event of UFC 311, Islam Makhachev successfully defended his lightweight title. He defeated Renato Moicano in the first round. The main fight was patched together on the eve of the event during Friday morning’s weigh-ins when Makhachev’s initial opponent. Arman Tsarukyan withdrew due to a back injury. Moicano was supposed to face No. 9-ranked lightweight Beneil Dariush in the main event.
But he was assigned as a late replacement opponent. Islam Makhachev, the UFC’s top-ranked pound-for-pound fighter, readily accepted the short-notice opponent change. On Saturday, the Russian mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter won his 15th consecutive battle. He won at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, in four minutes and five seconds. Makhachev, who has 27 wins and one defeat. He rapidly applied a D’Arce choke to his Brazilian opponent after putting him down quickly.
The 33-year-old has the most title fight wins in the division. With five and has done something no other boxer in his division has: successfully defended his crown four times. It was his 13th win via submission. Moicano was a last-minute substitute for top-ranked contender Arman Tsarukyan, who withdrew from the fight on Friday due to “significant back pain” after an injury.
Renato Moicano Deserved Better
After briefly losing his balance during a Moicano punching exchange, Makhachev returned to his strengths and dominated Saturday’s title bout on the canvas. He instantly locked in a D’Arce choke, which he used to defend his championship against Dustin Poirier last year, and Moicano promptly tapped out. Makhachev has now won 15 straight fights, and his eight submission victories are tied for third most in UFC lightweight history.
Merab Dvalishvili defended his bantamweight championship against Umar Nurmagomedov in the co-main event. Dvalishvili and Nurmagomedov had a spectacular five-round bout. The win was Dvalishvili’s first title defense since becoming champion in September, and Nurmagomedov’s first loss in MMA. Former light-heavyweight titleholders Jiri Prochazka and Jamahal Hill clashed blows in a featured 205-pound bout that wowed fans and resulted in Prochazka’s return to the victory column.
