Has Islam Makhachev surpassed Khabib Nurmagomedov as the greatest UFC lightweight of all time?

Islam Makhachev made short work of Renato Moicano at UFC 311 but it is a victory that will live long in the memory.

Moicano, a late replacement for the injured Arman Tsarukyan, was the latest victim to be on the receiving end of a Makhachev mauling, wisely tapping inside the first round before he lost consciousness in a D'Arce choke.

With his arm raised Makhachev extended his win streak to 15 fights and also moved ahead of legends BJ Penn, Benson Henderson, Frankie Edgar and Khabib Nurmagomedov with a record fourth title defence of the UFC lightweight belt.

Khabib was in Makhachev's corner in Inglewood, California, to witness his protege's latest display of cage dominance, no doubt impressed with a wrestling game arguably as good as his own during his prime.

There is now a legitimate argument that Makhachev's achievements in UFC have surpassed those of his mentor, a name always in the conversation when the discussion of the greatest of all time crops up.

Khabib walked away from Mixed Martial Arts in 2020, keeping a promise to his mother following the passing of his father and coach, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov.

His final fight took place inside the octagon in Abu Dhabi with Khabib applying a triangle choke to Justin Gaethje to give him a perfect 29-0 professional record.

It's hard to think of Hall-of-Famer Khabib losing a round during his distinguished career, but it's fair to say the standard of opponent in racking up those 29 wins deserves further scrutiny.

Khabib's crowning glory was submitting a prime Conor McGregor at UFC 229 in Las Vegas. The brash Irishman was riding a 15-fight win streak and had transformed the sport with his outrageous antics and fearsome striking.

McGregor had no answer to Khabib's takedown prowess, and the ugly scenes that followed the fourth round stoppage will live on in infamy.

Khabib followed that triumph with a victory over Dustin Poirier, again in Abu Dhabi. While few doubt the American contender's heart and courage, his career will be remembered as a challenger who came close, but not close enough to securing UFC gold.

The only other legitimate world champion on Khabib's CV is Rafael dos Anjos, who held the lightweight belt from March 2015 to July 2016. If we factor in Gaethje's interim title belt, that would make it three champions Khabib disposed off.

Of course, gold isn't everything, and to dismiss wins over fighters of the ilk of Poirier, Al Iaquinta and Edson Barbosa would be folly. Whether it's a question of standard in the division or purposely avoiding opponents, Khabib's place in the pantheon of greats comes with a "but".

By comparison, Makhachev is well on his way to adding his own name to the GOAT conversation. While there may be question marks over his striking, his wrestling and grappling are next level.

Considered the organisation's pound-for-pound best, a title bestowed on him by UFC president Dana White no less, Makhachev has also shown guile and gumption in overcoming adversity in the octagon.

An epic rematch with Alexander Volkanovski was settled when the Russian nearly took the Australian's head off with a kick in the headline bout of UFC 294 in Abu Dhabi. The first battle was much more contentious, with many believing the smaller Volkanovski (the Australian stepped up from featherweight in a bid to become a two-weight champ) edged it. The judges thought otherwise.

Abu Dhabi was the scene of Makhachev becoming lightweight champion, when Charles Oliveira tapped after being caught in an arm triangle. As the owner of the most tap-outs in UFC history (16), the Brazilian knows a thing or two about submissions. The haste in which he ended the fight was telling; when Makhachev squeezes, it can feel as hopeless as fighting off an anaconda.

A third successive title defence came after riding a flurry of Poirier punches for most of five rounds before Makhachev cleverly swept his opponent off balance and applied a brabo choke. Poirier briefly lost consciousness, cementing Makhachev's reputation as one of the most fearsome finishers in the sport.

Victory over Moicano has not necessarily elevated Makhachev's standing, just reinforced the notion that, when it comes to the greatest 115-pounder of all time, the Russian's case is hard to argue against.

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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

Red flags

Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.

Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching

Timeline

2012-2015

The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East

May 2017

The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts

September 2021

Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act

October 2021

Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence

December 2024

Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group

May 2025

The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan

July 2025

The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan

August 2025

Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision

October 2025

Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange

November 2025

180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE

Tips for newlyweds to better manage finances

All couples are unique and have to create a financial blueprint that is most suitable for their relationship, says Vijay Valecha, chief investment officer at Century Financial. He offers his top five tips for couples to better manage their finances.

Discuss your assets and debts: When married, it’s important to understand each other’s personal financial situation. It’s necessary to know upfront what each party brings to the table, as debts and assets affect spending habits and joint loan qualifications. Discussing all aspects of their finances as a couple prevents anyone from being blindsided later.

Decide on the financial/saving goals: Spouses should independently list their top goals and share their lists with one another to shape a joint plan. Writing down clear goals will help them determine how much to save each month, how much to put aside for short-term goals, and how they will reach their long-term financial goals.

Set a budget: A budget can keep the couple be mindful of their income and expenses. With a monthly budget, couples will know exactly how much they can spend in a category each month, how much they have to work with and what spending areas need to be evaluated.

Decide who manages what: When it comes to handling finances, it’s a good idea to decide who manages what. For example, one person might take on the day-to-day bills, while the other tackles long-term investments and retirement plans.

Money date nights: Talking about money should be a healthy, ongoing conversation and couples should not wait for something to go wrong. They should set time aside every month to talk about future financial decisions and see the progress they’ve made together towards accomplishing their goals.

MORE FROM ED HUSAIN: The UAE-Israel accord is a win for every Muslim

Who has lived at The Bishops Avenue?

George Sainsbury of the supermarket dynasty, sugar magnate William Park Lyle and actress Dame Gracie Fields were residents in the 1930s when the street was only known as ‘Millionaires’ Row’.
Then came the international super rich, including the last king of Greece, Constantine II, the Sultan of Brunei and Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal who was at one point ranked the third richest person in the world.
Turkish tycoon Halis Torprak sold his mansion for £50m in 2008 after spending just two days there. The House of Saud sold 10 properties on the road in 2013 for almost £80m.
Other residents have included Iraqi businessman Nemir Kirdar, singer Ariana Grande, holiday camp impresario Sir Billy Butlin, businessman Asil Nadir, Paul McCartney’s former wife Heather Mills.

Hunting park to luxury living

Land was originally the Bishop of London's hunting park, hence the name
The road was laid out in the mid 19th Century, meandering through woodland and farmland
Its earliest houses at the turn of the 20th Century were substantial detached properties with extensive grounds

Desert Warrior

Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley

Director: Rupert Wyatt

Rating: 3/5

SPECS

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The biog

Name: Timothy Husband

Nationality: New Zealand

Education: Degree in zoology at The University of Sydney

Favourite book: Lemurs of Madagascar by Russell A Mittermeier

Favourite music: Billy Joel

Weekends and holidays: Talking about animals or visiting his farm in Australia