Islam Makhachev may have officially weighed in at 170 pounds for UFC 322, but he looked noticeably bigger on fight night. Now there is confirmation of just how much weight he regained as he prepared to face Jack Della Maddalena for the welterweight title at Madison Square Garden.
In newly released behind-the-scenes footage from the Anatomy of a Fighter series, Makhachev was shown backstage stepping on a scale before making his walk to the octagon. That scale read 189.4 pounds, revealing that Makhachev had rehydrated and gained nearly 20 pounds since the official weigh-ins. The footage further confirms what many fans and analysts suspected. Makhachev was not undersized at welterweight, and he looked strong, fast, and fully prepared to compete at the higher weight class.
This was Makhachev’s welterweight debut, following a dominant stretch at lightweight where he won the title and successfully defended it four times. His move up to 170 pounds came after Jack Della Maddalena claimed the welterweight belt in May with a victory over Belal Muhammad. Rather than remain at lightweight, Makhachev vacated his title, shifted divisions, and immediately challenged for a second world championship.
At the official weigh-ins, Makhachev hit 170 pounds exactly, while Della Maddalena came in just slightly lighter at 169.8. But on fight night, the size difference was minimal, and Makhachev’s physicality was on full display. His strength, conditioning, and control were the key factors in his dominant performance, as he shut down Della Maddalena’s striking and neutralized him with relentless grappling for five rounds.
The 19.4-pound weight gain is within acceptable limits according to UFC regulations, but it highlights how effective Makhachev’s rehydration process was. His ability to compete at both lightweight and welterweight with elite performance levels has started a new conversation. Some now believe that he could one day attempt a third title run at middleweight, especially after becoming a two-division champion.
For now, Makhachev sits in rare company as the newest UFC two-weight world champion, and his performance at UFC 322 has only strengthened his case as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the sport. With size, skill, discipline, and momentum on his side, the question now becomes who is truly capable of stopping him.
#AD 💳🔥
Get your RedotPay prepaid crypto card instantly. Works on more than 90 percent of websites and apps including shopping, streaming, gaming, and travel. No purchase fees. Safe, fast, and trusted by over one million users with a 4.7 star rating on Google Play.
Receive 5 dollars back on your first card purchase and unlock special offers and rewards under the Benefits tab.
Referral code: exqfj
Referral link: https://url.hk/i/en/exqfj 🚀