TLDR
- Islam Makhachev defends his welterweight title against Ian Garry at UFC 330 in Philadelphia on Saturday
- Makhachev enters with a 16-fight win streak and is listed as a -370 betting favorite
- Garry holds size advantages with a five-inch height edge and four-inch reach advantage
- A Makhachev victory would break Anderson Silva’s UFC record of 16 consecutive wins
- The co-main event features Mackenzie Dern defending her strawweight title against Gillian Robertson
Sources: mmamania.com | sports.yahoo.com | cbssports.com
Islam Makhachev will defend his welterweight championship against Ian Machado Garry on Saturday night at UFC 330 in Philadelphia. The event takes place at Xfinity Mobile Arena with the main card starting at 7:30 p.m. ET.
Makhachev enters the fight with a 28-1 record and a 16-fight win streak dating back a decade. A victory would break Anderson Silva’s UFC record for consecutive wins at 16.
The Russian fighter captured the welterweight title in his first fight at the weight class, defeating Jack Della Maddalena by decision. Before that, Makhachev held the lightweight championship and defeated fighters like Charles Oliveira and Alexander Volkanovski.
Garry Brings Size and Youth to Title Challenge
Garry stands 6-foot-3 with a 74-inch reach, giving him a five-inch height advantage and four-inch reach edge over Makhachev. The 28-year-old Irish fighter holds a 17-1 record.
The challenger has won his last two fights after suffering his first career loss to Shavkat Rakhmonov in December 2024. Garry’s recent victories include wins over Belal Muhammad, Michael Page, and Geoff Neal.
Garry has been taken down just twice in his last 17 takedown attempts faced, showing improved wrestling defense. Six of his last seven fights have gone to the judges’ scorecards.
Betting odds favor Makhachev at -370, with Garry listed at +270 on most sportsbooks. The over/under is set at 4.5 rounds with the over at -160.
Avaliem o card do UFC 330 que vai rolar no próximo sábado👇
empolgados? pic.twitter.com/qFn1qT31L7
— José Louis (@concatenarsim) August 10, 2026
Fight Analysis and Predictions
Andrew Richardson, a professional fighter who provides analysis for MMA Mania, believes the fight will be close. He predicts Garry will win by decision, citing the challenger’s size, range, and age advantages.
Richardson noted that Garry should employ an aggressive strategy rather than being evasive. He suggested the Irish fighter should actively hand-fight, jab at Makhachev, and target the body and legs with kicks.
Cody Saftic from Yahoo Sports also picked Garry to win, calling the betting line a “popularity contest.” He pointed out that Makhachev has never faced anyone taller than 6 feet in 29 professional fights.
Other analysts favor different approaches to betting the fight. CBS Sports recommended taking Garry with a +9.5 point spread at -120, which would pay out if Garry loses by less than 9.5 total points on the scorecards or wins outright.
Makhachev trains under Khabib Nurmagomedov and is considered the most well-rounded fighter from that training system. He has strong wrestling, submission skills, and improved kickboxing.
This marks only Makhachev’s second fight at welterweight after spending his entire career at lightweight. Garry is a natural welterweight who uses his reach effectively in striking exchanges.
The co-main event features Mackenzie Dern defending her women’s strawweight title against Gillian Robertson. Dern won the belt in October 2025 and has won three straight fights after a difficult 2-4 stretch from 2021 to 2024.
The main card also includes lightweight bout between Jalin Turner and Kaue Fernandes, plus a featherweight matchup between Esteban Ribovics and veteran Edson Barboza.
