Islam Makhachev had his suitcase stolen during a recent trip to Italy, and the most painful loss was a pair of football boots gifted to him by Paris Saint-Germain star Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
The reigning UFC welterweight champion shared the news through a series of Instagram story posts. He revealed the theft and appealed directly to whoever took the bag to return the unique keepsake.
"The most valuable thing in the suitcase were the football boots," Makhachev wrote. "Thieves, if football isn't your thing, I'll take them back."
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Makhachev had received the match-worn boots from Kvaratskhelia after attending the Champions League first-leg clash between PSG and Liverpool in Paris earlier in the week. The Georgian winger scored a stunning goal in PSG's 2-0 victory over the current holders.
The performance made the gift especially meaningful to Makhachev.
Despite the theft, the 34-year-old Dagestani found an unexpected silver lining. The robbers returned his passport after taking his belongings. He acknowledged this gesture in his posts by calling them "nice" for the consideration.
He also told followers he had managed to keep his wallet and prayer mat with him during the incident. He reassured them there was no need to worry.
"I don't need anything else other than my prayer mat," he said.
He was less charitable about the destination itself. "I was heading to Italy in a great mood, but now I don't like Italy anymore," Makhachev wrote in the first of four posts about the situation.
Makhachev was last seen in action at UFC 322 in November 2025, where he secured a dominant unanimous decision victory over Jack Della Maddalena to win the welterweight title. He is currently on a 16-fight win streak inside the Octagon and holds a professional record of 28–1.
