Makhachev and Shevchenko make history at UFC 322 – | Sports News

Islam Makhachev grew to become the newest UFC star to assert titles throughout a number of weight lessons, whereas Valentina Shevchenko ended her opponent’s long unbeaten run in an eventful UFC 322 on Saturday at Madison Square Garden in New York.

The UFC introduced the starpower for the primary and co-important occasions for UFC 322, although the occasion was marred by a huge brawl that broke out simply because the pay-per-view portion of the cardboard was set to start.

Makhachev fought at 170 kilos for the primary time in his blended martial arts profession, taking over welterweight champion Jack Della Maddalena with a likelihood at his second UFC belt after a long run as light-weight champion.

“This is a dream, all my life for this I prepare,” Makhachev mentioned. In the tip, it was a comparatively routine victory for Makhachev, who gained by way of unanimous determination (50-45, 50-45, 50-45).

The victory gave Makhachev a UFC title in a second weight class after he vacated his light-weight belt earlier this yr. He is the eleventh fighter to attain the feat, the latest coming earlier this yr when former featherweight champion Ilia Topuria gained the light-weight belt Makhachev just lately vacated.

Della Maddalena gave the impression to be the faster fighter within the opening seconds of the bout as the gang largely was backing his Russian opponent.

But any momentum Della Maddalena gave the impression to be building upon was quickly ruined by Makhachev’s first takedown attempt, which was immediately profitable as he landed straight on high of the Australian and relentlessly labored to keep up dominant positions.

As the spherical wore on, Della Maddalena’s place solely worsened. The reigning champion was in a position to final, nevertheless, and obtained a contemporary begin on his ft within the second, touchdown a few punches and strolling ahead into Makhachev’s vary, then taking a massive kick earlier than ultimately discovering himself on his back as soon as more.

The third spherical noticed Della Maddalena in a position to keep on his ft for practically two minutes earlier than Makhachev as soon as more put him into a compromising place on the ground, the place the combat stayed for the rest of the period.

The fourth spherical noticed the identical routine play out as soon as more, with Makhachev making his transfer with about 3:15 on the clock because the Madison Square Garden crowd grew stressed. He tried fishing for a few submissions, however Della Maddalena wasn’t giving in simply but.

The closing body noticed the combat shortly return to the canvas as soon as more with Makhachev fishing for an arm lock virtually immediately. When it didn’t come, he as soon as again asserted his dominant positioning, touchdown punches whereas ready out the ultimate minutes to seal his belt.

In the co-important occasion, Shevchenko made straightforward work of Zhang Weili, who got here up from strawweight to featherweight to problem the longtime champion.

Shevchenko gained a unanimous determination, incomes 50-45 scores on all three judges’ scorecards, handing Zhang her first defeat since November 2021.

“I was prepared for this fight as the hardest challenge in my life,” Shevchenko mentioned.

The combat was by no means close, as the larger Shevchenko stored her distance from Zhang and took the combat to the canvas as quickly as doable in every spherical, touchdown ground strikes and controlling high place for big stretches of the motion.