Islam Makhachev is currently taking a short break from training for a trip. His travels through Europe recently included a stop in France, followed by a visit to Italy. Unfortunately, his time in Italy turned sour when he reported that he had been robbed.
Makhachev shared the experience on his Instagram story, stating that thieves took 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.”
“All I have left is this wallet and my passport.”
In an odd turn of events, the thieves returned his passport, but the Dagestani fighter mentioned that a significant item was still missing.
“They returned my passport… nice robbers,” Makhachev noted. “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’d like 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 last fought and won against Jack Della Maddalena last year, becoming the new welterweight champion. Although there were discussions about a potential fight against Ilia Topuria at the White House card, it did not happen. Makhachev is now preparing to face someone within his own division.
Islam Makhachev is not the only UFC fighter who has experienced a robbery.
Like Islam Makhachev, this UFC heavyweight was robbed
Former UFC interim heavyweight champion Ciryl Gane had about $162,000 worth of items stolen while he competed at UFC Paris in September 2023. This incident occurred while Gane secured a second-round TKO victory over Serghei Spivak, turning what should have been a celebratory night into a heavy loss outside the Octagon.
According to reports from Le Parisien, burglars broke into Gane’s home in Nogent-sur-Marne early Sunday morning, stealing luxury items such as jewelry and a Rolex watch. Police arrived at around 7:30 a.m. to begin an investigation, which included reviewing surveillance footage for leads.
Reports indicate that the crime may have been premeditated, possibly involving prior observation. Gane was not home during the incident, so he avoided any physical harm, but the financial loss was substantial.
This shows that even highly skilled fighters are not immune to theft. Thankfully, Makhachev did recover his passport.