Islam Makhachev retained his lightweight title at UFC 311 with a first-round submission victory over Renato Moicano. The champion, who was fighting on just 11 days’ notice after Arman Tsarukyan withdrew due to injury, dominated the fight from start to finish.
Makhachev’s opponent, Moicano, was originally scheduled to face Beneil Dariush but was pushed into the title opportunity when Tsarukyan pulled out. Makhachev has been in similar situations before, including a recent bout where he fought Alexander Volkanovski on short notice after Charles Oliveira withdrew.
Despite being a massive underdog, Moicano had no chance against Makhachev’s superior skills and conditioning. The champion proved why he is widely regarded as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world with his quick and decisive victory.
Makhachev’s victory extended his winning streak to 15 and solidified his status as one of the top lightweight fighters in the world. He now has a record 819 days as champion, second only to his coach Khabib Nurmagomedov.
UFC president Dana White stated that Makhachev will have to wait for his next opponent, saying “He’s going back to the drawing board.” However, Makhachev remains open to fighting anyone who wants the title and has invited all challengers to come forward.
Source: https://www.espn.com/mma/story/_/id/43474395/islam-makhachev-quickly-taps-renato-moicano-ufc-311-main-event