Islam Makhachev is perhaps the most avoided fighter in the lightweight division. His suffocating style is reminiscent of close friend and training partner, former 155-pound champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, and that has caused the division's upper echelon to possibly keep an arm's length away from him.
In his first UFC main event on Saturday night against Thiago Moises, the No. 9-ranked lightweight continued to put the division on notice as he showed his entire arsenal in stopping the gritty Moises via submission (rear-naked choke) at 2:38 of the fourth round from the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
Moises came out loose to begin the second. He landed a couple of right hands to catch Makhachev’s attention. All that did was get him upset. Makhachev blasted Moises with left hands and hard body kicks. Moises tried to come back as he had a guillotine choke applied for a quick moment. But Makhachev rolled out of it and was able to get Moises’s back. He slowly pressed Moises’s body and pounded the head and body. The round was coming to a close, and Makhachev secured an armbar, but the horn sounded.
Moises didn’t come out a beaten man to start the third round. Moises threw a head and body kick. Makhachev fired off a series of punches and kicks. Moises attempted to put Makhachev down, but the native of Dagestan was having none of it. He grinded Moises against the cage with heavy knees and then judo tossed Moises to the mat. Moises stayed composed, rolled out, and went for a series of heel hooks and ankle locks to no avail.
Makhachev looked unhappy with how things went at the end of the third and took it out on Moises in the fourth. He didn’t waste much time and took Moises back down. He had Moises's back and peppered him with shots. Finally, he saw an opening and cinched in the rear-naked choke to which Moises tapped out to instantly.
Makhachev (20-1) extends his winning streak to eight and becomes the first fighter to stop Moises. Even though he's been avoided, Makhachev sent a warning to the entire lightweight division that he isn't going anywhere and they will meet him sooner rather than later.
“Hey guys, you can run, but you can’t hide,” Makhachev said in his post-fight interview with Paul Felder. “I’m coming. I’m here.”
Miesha Tate makes successful return
Questions surrounded Miesha Tate in her return to the Octagon in the co-main event against Marion Reneau. How would she fare after being away for over four years?
Well, the former women's bantamweight champion didn't miss a beat as she used her vastly improved striking to set up her wrestling. However, once she got Reneau to the ground, it was just a matter of time, and Tate pounded her out to win via TKO at 1:53 of the third round.
Tate and Reneau came out looking to strike. Tate was applying the pressure and leading with the jab and would follow up with a right hand. About two minutes into the round, Tate rocked Reneau with a right hand. Reneau came back with a crisp right of her own. Halfway through the round, Tate attempted a takedown, but Reneau stuffed it. Tate landed a right and a barrage of shots with a minute remaining before going for and securing a double-leg takedown.
Reneau started getting busier in the second, landing a couple of shots and getting herself back into the fight. Seeing the momentum switching to Reneau, Tate rushed in and went for a takedown. Reneau gave it her all, including grabbing the cage, but Tate was relentless and secured her second takedown. Tate was looking for a kimura but was unsuccessful. In side control, Tate bloodied Reneau up with a series of ground and pound shots.
Tate wasted no time to begin the third by taking Reneau right back down to the canvas. Tate established position, and then Reneau gave up her back. Sensing the win was near, Tate uncorked a barrage of shots, and the referee stepped in to stop it and handed Reneau her first stoppage defeat.
UFC Fight Night: Islam Makhachev vs. Thiago Moises fight results
- Islam Makhachev def. Thiago Moisés via submission (rear-naked choke) at 2:38 of the fourth round; Lightweight
- Miesha Tate def. Marion Reneau via TKO at 1:53 of the third round; Women's Bantamweight
- Mateusz Gamrot def. Jeremy Stephens via submission (kimura) at 1:05 of the first round; Lightweight
- Rodolfo Viera def. Dustin Stolzfus via submission (rear-naked choke) at 1:54 of the third round; Middleweight
- Billy Quarantillo def. Gabriel Benítez via TKO at 3:40 of the third round; Featherweight