Islam Makhachev retains lightweight belt against Renato Moicano at UFC 311 | Mixed Martial Arts News

In an epic, action-packed bantamweight title match, Merab Dvalishvili defends his title against Umar Nurmagomedov.

Islam Makhachev successfully defended his lightweight championship belt following a first-round submission of 10th-ranked Renato Moicano at UFC 311.

The Russian mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter needed four minutes and five seconds to earn his 15th consecutive victory on Saturday at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California.

Makhachev, who holds a record of 27 wins and one loss, was quick to administer a D’Arce choke to his Brazilian opponent after quickly knocking him out.

Makhachev, 33, has won the most title fights in the division with five and accomplished what no other fighter in his division has ever done: successfully defend his belt four times. It was his 13th submission victory.

“I love this belt,” said Makhachev, the UFC’s top-ranked pound-for-pound fighter and most decorated lightweight of all time. “If anyone wants this belt, come to the cage.”

Moicano was a last-minute replacement for top challenger Arman Tsarukyan, who withdrew from the fight Friday due to “significant back pain” related to an injury.

Brazilian Moicano, 35, has scored nine victories in his last 10 fights but has proven to be no match for Makhachev, whose fighting is unrivaled as he continues to prove why he is the one of the best in the championship. world.

Moicano was harder on himself and said Makhachev was the better fighter. However, he fears that this is his only chance to win the title.

“It wasn’t a day’s notice,” Moicano said after the fight. “It was a notice for a lifetime. I am very sad. I spent my whole life for this moment and I hit in the first round.

Makhachev said he had no preference for his next opponent.

In an epic, action-packed bantamweight title match, champion Merab Dvalishvili made his first title defense by extending his winning streak to 12 while handing second contender Umar Nurmagomedov the first defeat of his career.

The pace of the match saw both fighters dominate at different points in the fight, with Dvalishvili closing strong after two of the three judges gave Nurmagomedov the lead after the first two rounds.

Nurmagomedov said he felt like he broke his left hand and couldn’t use it after the first round.

In a light heavyweight match, former champion and runner-up Jiri Prochazka used a flurry of punches in the third round to overwhelm third-place finisher Jamahal Hill, prompting a stoppage at three minutes for a total knockout (TKO).

In the heavyweight division, sixth-ranked Jailton Almeida used a flurry of right hands to hurt seventh-ranked Serghei Spivac late in the first round and used a ground attack to end the match with a TKO at 4:53 . .

Reinier de Ridder wasted no time defeating Kevin Holland about 10 seconds into their middleweight bout and finished it with a rear naked choke at 3:31 of the first round.