Ислам Махачев успешно защитил титул чемпиона UFC в легком весе, победив Армана Царукяна единогласным решением судей.
Islam Makhachev retained his UFC lightweight championship title by defeating Arman Tsarukyan. The bout, which took place on March 24, 2026, went the full five rounds and ended in a unanimous decision by the judges.
The tactical superiority of the champion
Makhachev showcased excellent grappling on the ground, controlling most of the fight. Tsarukyan tried to resist but couldn't find an answer to the Russian's ground-and-pound. In the third round, Makhachev came close to an early victory, but Tsarukyan held on.
I knew Armand was a dangerous opponent, but my team prepared a great strategy. Thank you all for your support!
— Ислам Махачев, чемпион UFC в легком весе
Fight statistics
According to UFC Stats, Makhachev dominated the key metrics. He landed 4 successful takedowns out of 7 attempts and delivered 112 significant strikes compared to Tsarukyan's 89.
This victory marked Makhachev's third successful title defense. Now he can claim a spot in the UFC's pound-for-pound top 5.