Islam Makhachev's Historic UFC Win Streak and Future Plans

Islam Makhachev walked out of UFC 330 with a new scar, a swollen spine, and a slice of history.

Seventeen straight wins in the Octagon. One more than Anderson Silva. The longest UFC winning streak of all time now belongs to the quiet man from Dagestan, who just went through one of the ugliest, hardest nights of his career to keep it.

Against Ian Garry, this was no procession. It was a five-round grind, a title defense that looked, at times, like it might slip away. Garry found the target early and often, split the champion open, and forced him into the kind of dogfight that drew instant comparisons to Makhachev’s brutal war with Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 284.

The judges’ scorecards – 49-46, 49-46, 48-47 – told one story. The damage on Makhachev’s face told another.

A record, and a bill to pay

The record came with a price. Once the adrenaline drained away, the champion headed straight for the machines.

“After the fight, I had three MRIs and had my entire spine checked,” Makhachev told Match TV. The scans showed “a few small issues,” as he put it. Not career-threatening, not enough to trigger panic in his camp, but serious enough to demand attention.

“There are a few small issues, so I'm working on them. It's nothing serious. I'm just strengthening my spine,” he said.

So while the welterweight belt remains around his waist, the next few weeks are about rehab, not revenge. The champion who just walked through Garry’s best shots is now locked into a quieter battle with his own body.

A tight window before Ramadan

Makhachev’s next move, though, is already mapped out in his head. He wants to fight again before Ramadan, which is expected to begin around February 8, 2027, subject to the moon sighting. That gives the UFC a narrow window from November 2026 to January 2027 to get their 170-pound king back into the cage.

“We'll wait for the UFC to call. I think the ideal scenario would be to fight before Ramadan. Ramadan starts for us in February. A date before Ramadan would be ideal,” he said.

The timeline matters. If the UFC can slide a title defense into that pre-Ramadan slot, Makhachev could realistically fight twice in 2027. That would keep him on the rhythm he’s favored in recent years: two high-level fights a year, enough to stay sharp and active without burning out a body that has absorbed years of training and championship rounds.

Age is now part of his calculation. He has spoken openly about it before, about managing the final phase of his career wisely. Every camp, every cut, every five-round war leaves a mark. The calendar is as real an opponent as any contender.

Challengers circling the throne

At welterweight, the line is already forming.

Carlos Prates has stepped to the front of it. The Brazilian has confirmed that he recently signed a new UFC deal and, crucially, has been guaranteed the next title shot at Makhachev. He has not been shy about where and when he wants it, either.

Prates has already called for a showdown at UFC 334 on November 14 at Madison Square Garden. The date fits Makhachev’s preferred window. So does another option: UFC 335 in Las Vegas on December 12, assuming the champion is cleared after his spinal work.

Both cards make sense. Both cities love a title fight. Both nights would give Makhachev the chance to tick off his pre-Ramadan goal and keep the door open for a second defense in late summer or fall of 2027.

And behind Prates, more names are warming up. Michael Morales is among those waiting, watching, and winning, hoping the belt is still in Makhachev’s possession by the time their number is called.

The champion’s balancing act

This is the tension that now defines Makhachev’s reign: legacy versus longevity.

He has the record. Seventeen straight UFC wins. A run that has taken him from promising prospect to undisputed champion and now into the realm of all-time conversations. But the Garry fight underlined how fine the margins are at the top. One bad night, one mistimed camp, one injury that doesn’t quite heal, and the streak, the belt, and the aura can all vanish.

For the moment, the plan is simple. Heal the spine. Take the call. Defend the belt before Ramadan. Keep the pace of two fights a year while his body still allows it.

The rest will be decided in that tight window between November and January, under the lights of Madison Square Garden or the glare of Las Vegas. If the champion makes it there healthy, with his timing intact and his spine reinforced, the next question is no longer whether anyone can stop his streak.

It’s how long he’s willing to keep chasing history before he decides he’s written enough of it.