Islam Makhachev tipped to retire like Khabib Nurmagomedov if victorious at UFC 330
Joe Rogan can see Islam Makhachev calling it quits on his MMA career if he wins at UFC 330.
Makhachev puts his welterweight title on the line against Ian Machado Garry in the main event of UFC 330 in Philadelphia on Saturday.
If the Russian wins, he will surpass Anderson Silva’s long-time record of 16 UFC fights undefeated, while also joining an elite club of fighters to defend a world title in two different weight classes.
Joe Rogan discusses Makhachev retiring
In the eyes of Rogan, that would be enough for Makhachev to cement his legacy and retire with his head held high.
Just like long-time mentor and close friend Khabib Nurmagomedov, who retired aged 32 with a 29-0 record after defending the UFC lightweight title against Justin Gaethje in 2020.
“Listen, Islam may retire,” Rogan said on his MMA show, where former UFC champion Aljamain Sterling appeared this week as a guest.
“He may retire. He’s done a lot. He’s competed in two different weight classes and won world championships in two different weight classes.
“If he beats Ian, if he submits Ian and says, ‘I’ve had enough, I’m going to do what Khabib did, and I’m going to coach now,’ I could see that.
“And then I could see [Michael] Morales and [Carlos] Prates for the f***ing undisputed title.”
Rumours of Makhachev retiring have done the rounds for months ever since his fight against Machado Garry was announced.
But Makhachev has already asserted he will not stop after UFC 330.
Makhachev has no plans to retire
“Somebody put the fake news I’m gonna retire after this fight,” the 34-year-old told MMA Junkie when previewing his clash with Machado Garry.
“No, it’s not true. I want to keep going. The feeling when you’re staying in shape, becoming [the] best fighter, is [an] amazing thing.
“You’re never gonna find something like this outside the sport. I want to keep fighting and we will beat all records and stay here more years.”
Like when Khabib retired, Makhachev has fought 29 times as a professional, losing just once — a first-round knockout defeat in his second UFC fight.
He has since won all 16 of his subsequent bouts, winning gold for the first time in a lightweight title main event against Charles Oliveira at UFC 280.
Makhachev defended the belt four times before vacating and moving up to the welterweight division.
Last time out in November 2025, the two-division champion claimed the 170lbs belt with a dominant performance against Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 322.
Khabib has been by his side throughout his legendary championship run, coaching the likes of his cousins Usman and Umar Nurmagomedov at the same time.
UFC Schedule
There are still several blockbuster shows and exciting contests for fight fans to look forward to in 2026, and you can find the full list of all confirmed events and official bouts as part of talkSPORT.com’s UFC schedule.
The UFC, on average, puts on 13 to 14 premium events in a calendar year, with up to 30 smaller ‘Fight Night’ cards allowing prospects and less experienced fighters to showcase their talents.
On January 1, 2026, Dana White’s promotion signed a seven-year broadcast deal with CBS and Paramount+ for exclusive rights in the US, meaning the UFC has put on shows like never before this year.
With the historic first event in the new Paramount era, UFC 324, delivering huge success, and a one-of-a-kind fight card at the White House in June opening up the UFC to a new audience, the promotion remains a premium global sports brand, and fans are eager to keep track of results and upcoming fights.
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