UFC welterweight champion Islam Makhachev revealed how many fights he has left in his UFC career before he retires from MMA.
At age 34, Makhachev is still in the prime of his athletic career. He is 29-1 in MMA, including an 18-1 record in the UFC, and recently set the longest win streak in promotional history with 17 straight victories.
He is a two-division UFC champion, and he is the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world right now. Having accomplished so much, there has been some chatter that Makhachev could walk away on top of his game, just like his friend and teammate Khabib Nurmagomedov did.
But Makhachev says he’s not done just yet.
Islam Makhachev Says He Has 3 UFC Fights Left
Speaking to reporters in Dagestan after defeating Ian Machado Garry at UFC 330, Makhachev revealed how many fights he has left in his UFC career, saying he has at least three more fights left in him against really tough opponents.
“Well, I wouldn’t call (the win streak record) unbreakable by any means. There are fighters out there, not exactly breathing down my neck, but there are those that already have 10 wins (in a row). I don’t know, maybe the title fights record? Though the record for title fights is quite large. I fought 10 bouts before getting the title, while the record holder fought for the title in his third or fourth fight. So I don’t know what records will come next, but in my weight class I have some very good title contenders. I think I have at least three more spectacular and very tough fights for me,” Makhachev said (via MMAFighting.com).
Who Will Islam Makhachev Fight Next?
After beating Makhachev at UFC 330, the Russian will likely fight Carlos Prates for his next fight, either later this year or early next year. Although the UFC hasn’t announced anything yet, the smart money is on Prates getting the title shot.
Michael Morales is another top contender vying for the UFC welterweight title, and you can’t completely forget about Shavkat Rakhmonov, the former No. 1 contender who hasn’t fought in nearly two years due to injuries.
Islam Makhachev Reveals How Many UFC Fights He Has Left