TLDR
- Islam Makhachev defeated Ian Machado Garry by unanimous decision to retain his welterweight title at UFC 330
- The victory marked Makhachev’s 17th consecutive UFC win, breaking Anderson Silva’s record of 16 straight wins
- Makhachev controlled the fight with wrestling and landed a damaging head kick in round two
- Mackenzie Dern successfully defended her strawweight title against Gillian Robertson in the co-main event
- Carlos Prates and Michael Morales are potential next opponents for Makhachev’s welterweight title
Sources: aljazeera.com | sherdog.com | bleacherreport.com
Islam Makhachev successfully defended his UFC welterweight championship on Saturday night in Philadelphia, defeating Ireland’s Ian Machado Garry by unanimous decision. The judges scored the bout 49-46, 49-46, and 48-47 in favor of the Russian champion.
The victory marks Makhachev’s 17th consecutive win in the UFC, breaking the previous record of 16 straight wins held by Hall of Famer Anderson Silva. Silva set his record between 2006 and 2013.
Makhachev now holds a professional record of 29-1 in mixed martial arts. He remains the UFC’s pound-for-pound top-ranked fighter.
Makhachev Controls the Fight with Wrestling
The champion controlled the pace throughout the 25-minute fight using his wrestling skills. He kept Machado Garry on the mat for extended periods and mixed in effective striking.
Makhachev landed a damaging head kick in the second round that dropped his opponent. The shot set up more dominant grappling control from the champion.
Islam Makhachev was NOT a fan of how respectful Ian Garry was during their fight pic.twitter.com/ppmF3CqKQ1
— Spinnin Backfist (@SpinninBackfist) August 16, 2026
Machado Garry, who was attempting to become Ireland’s second undisputed UFC champion, defended well on the ground but could not generate enough offense. The challenger’s record dropped to 17-2.
“I have nothing but respect for Islam. He won. I have no complaints, no excuses,” Machado Garry said after the fight.
Makhachev acknowledged the difficulty of the bout in his post-fight interview. “Yeah, he’s a great fighter, good man and I just respect him,” he said. “He gave me a hard time, but I still prove every fight.”
The champion praised Machado Garry’s improvement, crediting his work with coach Demian Maia. “He improved a lot,” Makhachev said. “He is working with one of the best fighter coaches, Demian Maia. That’s why I see he improved his grappling also.”
When asked about the toughness of the fight compared to others, Makhachev suggested his first bout against Alexander Volkanovski might have been equally challenging. This was Makhachev’s first successful defense of the welterweight title after previously defending his lightweight belt four times.
Dern Defends Strawweight Title in Co-Main Event
In the co-main event, women’s strawweight champion Mackenzie Dern retained her title. She defeated Canada’s Gillian Robertson by unanimous decision with scores of 49-46, 49-46, and 48-47.
Dern, who fights out of Southern California, used her grappling skills to control the fight. She threatened submissions throughout the 25-minute bout, nearly securing a rear-naked choke at the end of the first round.
The victory improved Dern’s record to 17-5, while Robertson dropped to 17-9. “She’s good. Thank you, [everyone]. I appreciate you,” Dern said after the win.
Dern had predicted a finish before the fight but was satisfied with her five-round performance. This was her first successful title defense as champion.
Looking ahead, Makhachev has identified Carlos Prates as his preferred next opponent. Prates holds a 7-1 record since joining the UFC in 2024 and is currently on a three-fight win streak.
Michael Morales, who remains undefeated at 19-0, is also considered a contender. However, Makhachev questioned Morales’s activity level, noting that his last fight was in November against Sean Brady.
The UFC’s next event takes place in Sacramento, California, next Saturday. The Fight Night card will feature a five-round middleweight bout between Anthony Hernandez and Gregory Rodrigues of Brazil as the main event on a 13-fight card.
