It appears there is no limit when it comes to the glories of Islam Makhachev. At 35 years old, the Dagestani has firmly established himself as the pinnacle of MMA by becoming a UFC two-division champion. However, Makhachev’s latest achievement goes beyond the cage and has entered the world of Sambo.

Makhachev became part of the 50th World SAMBO Championships 2026, taking place in Uzbekistan. Russian heavyweight MMA legend Fedor Emelianenko also joined the UFC champ at the event. On November 5, both combat sports icons received prestigious SAMBO Grandmaster titles during the Sambo championship’s press conference, adding another honor to their already glorious careers.

To make the occasion special, International Sambo Federation (ISF) president Vasily Shestakov presented Emelianenko with a special watch for his 50th birthday. But the gift came a little late, as the Russian legend’s birthday was on September 28.

The Federation also presented both Makhachev and Emelianenko with the “Honor of Sport Sambo” badge, along with symbolic credentials and statuettes.

For both MMA champions, being recognized for their impact on a sport outside the cage must feel special. This appears to be the first time Makhachev and Emelianenko have received Grandmaster titles.

Both superstars have earned other honors from the Sambo federation before.

In February 2026, the Federation appointed Islam Makhachev as an ambassador for global Sambo. Later, the reigning UFC welterweight champion was presented with the “Honored Master of Sport of Russia” title in July to recognize his influence in Sambo.

Despite that, the Dagestani has been receiving awards for Sambo primarily this year. On the other hand, Fedor Emelianenko has been honored by the Sambo federation for several years.

‘The Last Emperor’ received the Honored Master of Sport in 2006. Later, he went on to represent the Sambo federation at the I Combat Games 2010 in Beijing, China.

In 2016, Islam Makhachev participated in the FIAS World Combat Sambo Championship and won gold in the 74 kg category, and he also emerged victorious at the Russian National Combat Sambo Championships around the same time.

The UFC welterweight champion’s achievement in Sambo is definitely notable. But Fedor Emelianenko had a much more illustrious career.

The former PRIDE champ was a four-time Combat Sambo World Champion, winning gold in the heavyweight division. Emelianenko was also a seven-time Russian national champion.

Considering these accomplishments, both Makhachev and Emelianenko receiving the titles makes complete sense. In fact, the Federation’s president himself praised the Dagestani fighter for his contributions to Sambo. 

International Sambo Federation praised Islam Makhachev for his Sambo and UFC career  

Vasily Shestakov, president of the International Sambo Federation, appeared delighted while awarding Makhachev and Emelianenko their latest Sambo honors. Shestakov showed the same level of enthusiasm when he presented the UFC 170 lbs champion with the “Honored Master of Sport of Russia” title in July 2026.

“Islam is an outstanding athlete, a Combat SAMBO World Champion, and he has made an unprecedented contribution to popularizing our beloved martial art on the international stage,” said Vasily Shestakov. “Competing in the UFC, he became champion in two weight divisions and firmly established himself atop the pound-for-pound rankings of the world’s best fighters.”  

Alongside Islam Makhachev, his mentor Khabib Nurmagomedov extensively competed in Sambo before transitioning to MMA. But ‘The Eagle’ didn’t receive the Grandmaster title that Makhachev just received.

That shows how far the 35-year-old has gone in carrying the legacy of Russian fighters around the world.

That said, Islam Makhachev and Fedor Emelianenko winning these prestigious awards will help popularize Sambo. The martial art has gained popularity through Russian fighters incorporating the style into their MMA.

Now, with two of its greatest ambassadors honored, it will likely spread even further.