Imago
Credits: IMAGO
Imago
Credits: IMAGO
Islam Makhachev is taking time off from training. And he is taking a trip instead. But his trip has taken an unexpected turn. The former two-division champion has been touring Europe, and recently stopped in France before arriving in Italy. And that’s exactly where everything went downhill for the champion, as the 34-year-old revealed he had been robbed.
Makhachev took to his Instagram story to share the experience, explaining that thieves had taken most of his belongings.
“I was heading to Italy in a great mood,” Makhachev wrote. “But now I don’t like Italy anymore. I’ll tell you sometime how I got set up here.
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“All I have left is this wallet and my passport.”
In a strange twist, the thieves later returned his passport. Still, the Dagestani sambo specialist noted that one particularly meaningful item remains missing.
Islam Makhachev says his suitcase was stolen in Italy 😕
The thieves really saw who the passport belonged to and returned it immediately 😭
(via @MAKHACHEVMMA) pic.twitter.com/TDYZg1IQop
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) April 12, 2026
“They returned my passport… nice robbers,” Makhachev added. “The most valuable thing in the suitcase [was] the football boots. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia gifted them to me after his last game. Thieves, if football isn’t your thing, I’ll take them back.
“The prayer mat is still here. Don’t really need anything else. No need to worry, everything is fine, no panic.”
Islam Makhachev hasn’t fought since his dominant win over Jack Della Maddalena last year to become the new welterweight champion. Although there were some talks for his potential fight against Ilia Topuria on the White House card, that didn’t materialize, with Makhachev now poised to face someone from his own division.
In any case, Islam Makhachev isn’t the first UFC fighter to have been robbed.
Like Islam Makhachev, this UFC heavyweight was robbed
Let’s go back a few years to September 2023. Former UFC interim heavyweight champion Ciryl Gane was competing at UFC Paris in September 2023. But unknown to him, he was being robbed of $162,000 worth of valuables from his home. Gane secured a second-round TKO victory over Serghei Spivak. But the win turned what should have been a triumphant night into a costly one.
And the details of the robbery are crazy. According to Le Parisien, the burglars forced open the front door of his home in Nogent-sur-Marne early Sunday morning. What happened next? Well, luxury items, like jewelry and a Rolex watch, were all gone. Police were called. They arrived and investigated, but the damage had been done. Gane was down $162K.
What’s more, reports suggest the crime may have been planned in advance. And it possibly involved prior surveillance. Gane, thankfully, though, was not home during the burglary and avoided confrontation. But the financial loss remains significant.
Moral of the story? Even if you are one of the most dangerous people on Earth, you aren’t safe from getting robbed. But fortunately, Makhachev got his passport back.
