Last updated: October 9, 2026.
Two brothers in a mountain village in Dagestan both wanted to fight in the UFC. The family could only afford to send one of them to a proper coach. The older brother stepped aside, took two jobs, and paid for the younger one.
The younger one was Islam Makhachev. That decision is the center of the Islam Makhachev family story, and it was told in detail by The Washington Post in November 2025.
Quick Facts
| Full name | Islam Ramazanovich Makhachev |
| Born | October 27, 1991, Makhachkala, Dagestan |
| Raised | Burshi, a mountain village in Dagestan |
| Father | A farmer and driver; his first name is Ramazan, as Islam’s patronymic shows |
| Mother | Name not publicly reported |
| Sibling | Older brother, Kurban |
| Ethnicity | Lak |
| Nationality | Russian |
| Title | UFC welterweight champion; former lightweight champion |
| Record | 29 wins, 1 loss |
Who Are Islam Makhachev’s Parents?
Islam Makhachev’s parents raised him and his brother in Burshi, a remote village in the mountains of Dagestan. The family was poor. Neither parent has given interviews, and their full names have not been reported by a reliable outlet.
His father
Makhachev’s father farmed and drove a truck. His Wikipedia biography adds that the crop was tomatoes.
He expected both sons to work. According to The Washington Post, the boys had chores at home and on the farm, and their father used that work to teach discipline.
His first name can be read from his son’s. In Russian naming, the middle name is built from the father’s first name. Ramazanovich means son of Ramazan.
His mother
Makhachev’s mother kept the home and, according to his Wikipedia biography, also ran a small café.
She doesn’t watch him fight. The Post reports that she avoids his bouts because she doesn’t want to see her son get hurt.
After his first run of UFC wins, Makhachev built his parents a house in Makhachkala, the regional capital.
Does Islam Makhachev Have Siblings?
Yes. Islam Makhachev has one older brother, Kurban. His full first name is given as Kurbanismail.
Kurban is the reason this family’s story is different from most. Both brothers grew up watching the UFC on television, and both wanted to be fighters.
The best coach in the region was Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, who was then training his own son, Khabib. The Makhachevs couldn’t pay for two boys to train with him.
So Kurban gave up his own plans. He told the Post, through an interpreter, that he worked two jobs to cover his younger brother’s training.
The debt was repaid. Once Islam was established in the UFC, he helped Kurban open a luxury car dealership in Makhachkala. The Post’s report, republished by The Star, says he now sells Ferraris and Lamborghinis.
Where Did Islam Makhachev Grow Up?
Islam Makhachev was born in Makhachkala and grew up in Burshi. Dagestan is a republic in southern Russia, between Georgia and the Caspian Sea. He is an ethnic Lak, one of the region’s many peoples.
He started taekwondo at seven. Later he took up sanda, a Chinese kickboxing style, at school. One of his classmates was Abubakar Nurmagomedov, and through him he met Khabib.
There was a detour. After a family move, he stopped fighting and played soccer for about two years. He came back through freestyle wrestling, then joined Abdulmanap’s gym when he learned Khabib had turned professional.
He studied physical education at Dagestan State University. He also worked as a security guard, for an employer who let him train during shifts and kept paying him while he was away at competitions.
The Second Family: The Nurmagomedovs
Makhachev’s career can’t be separated from the Nurmagomedov family. Abdulmanap coached him from his teens. Khabib, who is three years older, was his training partner.
Abdulmanap died in 2020. Khabib retired that same year with a 29-0 record and took over his father’s fighters. He has been in Makhachev’s corner since, as coach and close friend.
UFC president Dana White told the Post that Abdulmanap had predicted Makhachev’s success years in advance.
How Did His Family Shape His Career?
The farm work and his brother’s two jobs bought him a place in the right gym. He has made full use of it.
He won the world combat sambo championship in 2016. In the UFC he has lost once, in 2015, and not since.
On October 22, 2022, he beat Charles Oliveira to win the lightweight title. He defended it four times in a row, a record for the division, then gave it up in 2025 to move to welterweight.
On November 15, 2025, at Madison Square Garden, he beat Jack Della Maddalena for the welterweight belt. That made him the eleventh fighter to hold UFC titles in two divisions.
He defended it against Ian Machado Garry in August 2026. It was his 17th straight UFC win, the longest streak in the promotion’s history.
For another champion whose family ran through his whole career, see our piece on Dricus du Plessis’s family.
Is Islam Makhachev Married?
Yes. Islam Makhachev is married and, as of early 2025, has three children, a daughter and two sons, according to his Wikipedia biography. He keeps his wife and children out of the public eye, and we don’t name them.
His faith is part of his public life. In 2017 he pulled out of a scheduled fight for a religious reason, which was reported at the time as the Hajj pilgrimage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are Islam Makhachev’s parents? His father farmed and drove a truck in Dagestan. His mother ran the home and a small café. Their full names have not been reliably reported.
Does Islam Makhachev have siblings? Yes, one older brother, Kurban, who worked two jobs to pay for Islam’s training.
Is Islam Makhachev related to Khabib Nurmagomedov? No. They are not relatives. They trained together under Khabib’s father, and Khabib is now his coach.
Where is Islam Makhachev from? Dagestan, Russia. He was born in Makhachkala and grew up in the village of Burshi.
What is Islam Makhachev’s ethnicity? He is an ethnic Lak, a people native to Dagestan.
What is Islam Makhachev’s record? 29 wins and 1 loss, after his title defense in August 2026.
