In 2025 the US have only one UFC champion.
It is pretty strange to think about, given that in 2016 there were more than a dozen Americans who held UFC world titles.
Kayla Harrison, a two -time Olympic gold medal winner from Ohio, assured the last title win in her country when she declined in June 'The Venezuelan Vixen' Julianna Pena on UFC 316.
Former pound-for-pound King Jon Jones was the last American champion of the men's divisions. The 38-year-old retired from MMA in June, to tease his return a few weeks later.
Islam Makhachev believes that he knows why America no longer has title holders.
Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC
Islam Makhachev says that the American MMA is decreasing from Dagestan
The #2-ranked pound-for-Pond Jager and the former lightweight champion Makhachev van Dagestan was asked what he thinks the UFC has no male champions from the US
Makhachev said it is because of the talent pool that comes from the Caukasus region.
“They have just started signing more of our boys. That is the reason,” Makhachev said about the deterioration of the American MMA in an interview with Ushatayka (H/T: Championship Rounds).
“I am 100% sure that there will be more champions from our region.
“Van Caukasus, Dagestan, Chechenia …
“No Brainer, our boys live for this, for this sport,” Makhachev continued.
Islam Makhachev explains why there are no American champions in the UFC today:
“They have just started signing more of our boys, that is the reason … Our boys live for this sport. In the US, for example, they are not worried, even if they competed poorly.
Behind our boys there is a family, … pic.twitter.com/titwjew6n7
– Championship Rounds (@champrds) 24 August 2025
View tweet
“In the US, for example, they are not worried, even if they competed badly.
But behind our boys there is a family, the entire city, the entire Republic. And he feels this responsibility and goes out with full responsibility and wins. “
Georgia is also located in the Caukasus region, which has produced the current champions Merab Dvalishvili and Ilia Topuria. Among them ranked and Makhachev in the pound-for-pound ranking is the new middleweight Khamzat Chimaev, which comes from Chechenia.
Islam Makhachev is no longer pound-for-pound #1 in UFC
Makhachev only held the title of Pound-For-Pound King for a few weeks after he had given up his lightweight title in May.
Makhachev was ranked as the best pound-for-pound hunter on the planet since his KO victory on Alexander Volkanovski on UFC 294 in October 2023.
Ilia Topuria would be the hunter to take Makhachev from his pedestal, but by beating another former lightweight champion in Charles Oliveira on UFC 317 on 28 June instead.
Makhachev's almost two-year government when Pound-for-Pound King ended after Tuesday when the ranking officially changed.