UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev is set to return to the Octagon at UFC 284. Following his title win in Abu Dhabi last year, Islam will take on Alexander Volkanovski in his first title defense. As such, he is once again making the trip to enemy territory, this time in Perth, Australia.
In his toughest test yet, he takes on the dominant featherweight champion. Previously, the Dagestani fought at UFC 280, where he earned a dominant submission win against former champ Charles Oliveira. Moreover, the performance was a masterclass from the Russian as he beat Oliveira on the ground, where he is most dangerous.
In what has been a busy few months for Islam, he has spent a lot of time away from his newborn daughter. Speaking about her at UFC 280, Islam said, “Last couple of months I watched the video of how my daughter grew up without me but after couple of days, I’m gonna be home”. For many, this was one of the first instances that Islam actually mentioned his daughter.
In a post-fight interview with Megan Olivi, Islam revealed that he was missing his daughter and that he could not wait to return home. He also stated that he wished to hug his parents as all his life he had mostly traveled but he would go home soon. The Dagestani fighter has been known to follow Khabib throughout his career, hardly staying in one place for too long.
For the most part, Makhachev will be looking to solidify his legacy, just like his mentor Khabib Nurmagomedov. . But for now, Islam needs to prove his mettle against the best of the best. Moreover, Islam has also said that he’ll only fight for three or four more years before retiring from the sport.
When did Islam Makhachev get married?
Although Islam is a married man, he has kept the identity of his spouse out of public knowledge. According to rumors, Makhachev got married in 2021 in Makhachkala, Dagestan. Notable fighters like Khabib Nurmagomedov and Zubaira Tughukov were some of the other Dagestani fighters in attendance. Unfortunately, not much else is known about the lightweight champion’s wife.
From what we know, Islam and his wife got hitched on April 8, 2021. Moreover, quite a few videos were uploaded on YouTube, giving us a view of the fighter’s wedding. Similar to Khabib, there are no pictures of Islam’s wife either. As such, in their culture, the men abstain from revealing the women in their families. Thus, even in the videos of Islam and even Khabib’s wedding for that matter, the bride’s face can be seen covered in a white gown.
Currently, Islam is on an 11-fight win streak in the UFC. Barring one loss in his second UFC fight, Islam has been dominant in all of his outings. With Volkanovski his next target, Islam will look to replicate similar success against the Australian champion. Once he defeats Volkanovski, he can once again head home and spend time with his daughter and family.
What did you make of Islam as a family man? Do you think he can be a great father and role model for his daughter? Will he be successful in the title fight against Volkanovski? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.
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