Reigning UFC lightweight champion, Islam Makhachev, boasts an impressive record with 26 professional victories and only one defeat. His sole loss came in 2015 during the UFC 192 event, where he faced Brazilian fighter Adriano Martins and suffered a first-round knockout.
Martins, currently 41 years old, left the UFC just a couple of years following his defeat of Makhachev. Nevertheless, he might play a significant role in the upcoming UFC 311 pay-per-view (PPV) event, where Makhachev is set to rematch the No. 1-ranked lightweight contender, Arman Tsarukyan.
Tsarukyan, known as “Ahalkalakets,” holds a professional record of 22-3 and is seen training with Martins on his Instagram stories.
This rematch is familiar territory for both fighters. Makhachev previously defeated Tsarukyan by unanimous decision at UFC St. Petersburg in early 2019, establishing him as an early betting favorite for next month’s title fight.
Regardless of the outcome, the former titleholder has expressed confidence in securing the winner of this matchup.
Tsarukyan spoke to Ariel Helwani, stating, “90 percent [of the crowd] is going to be my fans. I’m surprised [he agreed to the fight] because it’s not his territory. I thought he wanted to maybe fight in Saudi Arabia or Dubai or somewhere else, but not in California. California is an Armenian town.”
Before the main event of UFC 311 kicks off, newly-crowned bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili will make his first title defense against the No. 2-ranked Umar Nurmagomedov, with the former champion also in attendance.
For the complete UFC 311 fight card and PPV lineup, click here.
