Islam Makhachev has not had much time to bask in the glory of becoming UFC lightweight champion, but knows his new-found status comes with caveats.
“Mentally, it’s not just you win the belt and you’re champion,” Makhachev tells The National, less than four months from his crowning night in Abu Dhabi and little more than a week before his first title defence, the much-hyped contest against pound-for-pound supremo Alexander Volkanovski.
“After the title fight everything is beginning. Now everybody looks at you, everybody wants to beat you. That’s why you have to be ready. You have to be in the best shape and train harder."
There are clear positives, also.
“Now all fighters give me some respect," Makhachev says. "I trained from when I was young, training so hard for that moment; I’m not just spending five, six, 10 years for it. I spent all my life for that moment, for the belt.
“The best thing now is I don’t have to find an opponent. They find me. I don’t have to think about looking for some opponent, ask for the opponent, ask for the fight. All my career every fighter tried to avoid me. But, right now, I forget about this.”
Certainly, last October was a night to remember. Headlining UFC 280 in Abu Dhabi, Makhachev defeated the long-unbeaten Charles Oliveira by second-round submission, dominating the former lightweight champion to halt his 11-fight win streak and realise a dream of capturing UFC gold.
“That moment, I’ve watched many times,” Makhachev says. “But the whole fight? Maybe a couple of times. The emotion, the moment, I think it never happens again.
“Because the emotion when Charles tapped, this moment I don’t think can come again. [Watching it back] always makes me happy.”
Apparently more confident, as well. The victory reinforced what many had been saying for some time - childhood friend, teammate and retired former champion Khabib Nurmagomedov included.
That Makhachev, now 23-1 as a professional, was destined to be champion.
“Inside my mind I feel joy," Makhachev says. “Because what you’re doing all your life, how you’re training, how you eat, how you sleep, you understand that everything you’re doing is right, because you’re a champion right now.”
Yet there hasn’t been much time to truly savour it. No sooner had Makhachev been anointed the UFC’s best lightweight, he was joined in the Etihad Arena octagon by featherweight champion Volkanovski.
Ranked the sport’s pound-for-pound No 1 male athlete, the Australian agreed to step up to lightweight to take on the newly minted Makhachev, on the UFC's big return to Australia, at UFC 284 in Perth on February 12.
Volkanovski, 34, is attempting to become only the fifth UFC fighter to hold belts in different weights at the same time. Makhachev, three years his junior, is looking to usurp his rival at the pinnacle of the sport.
“This is a big challenge, and something big for me, because we’re not just fighting for the belt, we’re fighting for the rankings, who’s going to be pound-for-pound No 1,” says Makhachev, sat currently second on that list. “That’s why it’s new motivation for me, and a new goal.
“This is legacy, to be pound-for-pound. I don’t know what it’s going to feel like because it’s something new, for sure. People are not just going to call me champion; they’re going to say pound-for-pound No 1 fighter in the world.
“I don’t know too much now [what it will mean to me], but we’ll see.”
Beaten once as a pro – back in October 2015 - and riding an 11-fight win streak, Makhachev understands the challenge that awaits next week.
Volkanovski has won his last 22 bouts, 12 of which in the UFC, with the single blemish on his 26-fight pro CV coming almost a decade ago, some time before he signed with the organisation.
“He’s good in striking when he closes the distance,” says Makhachev, speaking from his base Down Under. “He’s so fast, so sharp. So, I have to be ready for that moment.
“I’m not sure I’ve fought someone before like the pound-for-pound best fighter – that’s why it’s going to be something new for me. But it doesn’t matter. Believe me, I’m ready."
Born in Wollongong, New South Wales, Volkanovski will no doubt enjoy a partisan support at the RAC Arena in Perth. It will represent a significant change for Makhachev, who won last time out in Abu Dhabi practically as a home favourite.
“I’m going to miss that,” he says. “But it’s OK. All my life I fight in the US or somewhere where the people all support my opponent. That’s why it’s nothing new for me.”
Not that he feels, either, that it makes Volkanovski more dangerous.
“No, brother,” Makhachev says. “When the cage is closed, brother, nothing. Not the people, not the energy. Nothing. It’s you and your opponent.”
Makhachev, though, will not even have Nurmagomedov by his side this time - in person at least. The former lightweight champion, who retired undefeated following his title defence against Justin Gaethje in Abu Dhabi in October 2020, has made a seamless transition to coaching, cornering Makhachev in his past five fights.
However, Nurmagomedov has decided for the moment to step away from MMA entirely, reportedly to spend more time with his family.
“Of course, everybody wants to bring Khabib in your corner,” Makhachev says. “Because this guy knows this game more than everybody. But I have many fights without him, too.
“In the UFC I have fought a couple times without him in the corner. But it’s OK. Mentally it’s nothing.”
Looking relaxed, smiling throughout the interview, Makhachev appears in a strong mental space anyway. He respects Volkanovski for moving up a division, he says, but also that he expected it given his recent run at 145 lbs.
Still, Makhachev warns that Volkanovski will suffer the same fate as Israel Adesanya, the then-middleweight champion who in 2021 chased gold at light heavyweight only to suffer his first pro loss, to Jan Blachowicz.
“[Volkanovski] had to step to the other weight class because he beat all his opponents in his division,” Makhachev says. “I don’t know someone who can beat him right now this year in his division. That’s why he just tries like his teammate Adesanya did when he jumped to another division.
“But this is new jungle for him. This is not his weight. This is other power, other pressure. He doesn’t follow his teammate who made the mistake; he doesn’t learn from the mistake.
"He wants to make the same mistake his teammate did… [like Blachowicz and Adesanya], I’m going to make him lose.”
The biog
Hometown: Birchgrove, Sydney Australia
Age: 59
Favourite TV series: Outlander Netflix series
Favourite place in the UAE: Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque / desert / Louvre Abu Dhabi
Favourite book: Father of our Nation: Collected Quotes of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan
Thing you will miss most about the UAE: My friends and family, Formula 1, having Friday's off, desert adventures, and Arabic culture and people
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BIGGEST CYBER SECURITY INCIDENTS IN RECENT TIMES
SolarWinds supply chain attack: Came to light in December 2020 but had taken root for several months, compromising major tech companies, governments and its entities
Microsoft Exchange server exploitation: March 2021; attackers used a vulnerability to steal emails
Kaseya attack: July 2021; ransomware hit perpetrated REvil, resulting in severe downtime for more than 1,000 companies
Log4j breach: December 2021; attackers exploited the Java-written code to inflitrate businesses and governments
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
A list of the animal rescue organisations in the UAE
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
ICC Women's T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier 2025, Thailand
UAE fixtures
May 9, v Malaysia
May 10, v Qatar
May 13, v Malaysia
May 15, v Qatar
May 18 and 19, semi-finals
May 20, final
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Freezer tips
- Always make sure food is completely cool before freezing.
- If you’re cooking in large batches, divide into either family-sized or individual portions to freeze.
- Ensure the food is well wrapped in foil or cling film. Even better, store in fully sealable, labelled containers or zip-lock freezer bags.
- The easiest and safest way to defrost items such as the stews and sauces mentioned is to do so in the fridge for several hours or overnight.
MATCH INFO
Tottenham Hotspur 3 (Son 1', Kane 8' & 16') West Ham United 3 (Balbuena 82', Sanchez og 85', Lanzini 90' 4)
Man of the match Harry Kane
The specs
Engine: four-litre V6 and 3.5-litre V6 twin-turbo
Transmission: six-speed and 10-speed
Power: 271 and 409 horsepower
Torque: 385 and 650Nm
Price: from Dh229,900 to Dh355,000
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At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
The years Ramadan fell in May
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
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The specs
Engine: 2.3-litre, turbo four-cylinder
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Power: 300hp
Torque: 420Nm
Price: Dh189,900
On sale: now
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Zayed Sustainability Prize
MATCH INFO
Liverpool v Manchester City, Sunday, 8.30pm UAE
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The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Background: Chemical Weapons
if you go
The flights
Air Astana flies direct from Dubai to Almaty from Dh2,440 per person return, and to Astana (via Almaty) from Dh2,930 return, both including taxes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Ritz-Carlton Almaty cost from Dh1,944 per night including taxes; and in Astana the new Ritz-Carlton Astana (www.marriott) costs from Dh1,325; alternatively, the new St Regis Astana costs from Dh1,458 per night including taxes.
When to visit
March-May and September-November
Visas
Citizens of many countries, including the UAE do not need a visa to enter Kazakhstan for up to 30 days. Contact the nearest Kazakhstan embassy or consulate.
