The key facts

  • Dana White is unhappy with Makhachev's activity: “fights on average once a year”
  • Makhachev became the first Russian UFC champion in two weight classes
  • Petr Yan defended his UFC bantamweight belt for the first time in Abu Dhabi

White on the frequency of Makhachev's fights

UFC President Dana White said that he is unhappy with how rarely Islam Makhachev steps into the octagon. The organization head's remarks were reported by Sports. “Makhachev fights on average once a year. He was supposed to fight in January, but then said he didn't want to fight at any time other than after Ramadan. You can't hold up a division, you have to move it forward,” the publication quotes White as saying.

Makhachev's achievements

The 34-year-old Makhachev moved up to welterweight after several years of dominance in the lightweight division, where he set a record for title defenses — four successful defenses in a row. In the new division, the Russian became UFC champion by defeating Australia's Jack Della Maddalena in November 2025. Before Makhachev, no Russian fighter in the UFC had managed to win championship belts in two weight classes.

Petr Yan's success in Abu Dhabi

Last night, Russian fighter Petr Yan defended his UFC bantamweight title. The bout took place in Abu Dhabi at the Etihad Arena and ended after five rounds with a unanimous decision in Yan's favor — 48:47, 48:47, 48:47. For the fighter, this is his first successful bantamweight title defense of his career. Gazeta ran a live text broadcast of the UFC 333 event in Abu Dhabi; earlier, Yan also spoke about when he plans to retire from the sport.

Context

White's statement highlights tension between the organization and one of its leading champions: according to the UFC head, Makhachev's schedule is hindering the development of the welterweight division. At the same time, the Russian's competitive results remain at the highest level — two titles in different weight classes, along with Yan's title defense that same night, underscore the presence of Russian fighters at the top of the league. It remains unknown whether White's comments will lead to a change in Makhachev's fight schedule.