Islam Makhachev achieved a historic milestone at UFC 330 by extending his winning streak to seventeen consecutive fights. The welterweight champion defeated Ian Machado Garry via unanimous decision in Philadelphia’s Xfinity Mobile Arena. Judges scored the bout 49-46, 49-46, and 48-47 in favor of Makhachev. The fight marked Makhachev’s first official welterweight title defense since his initial win at UFC 322. Makhachev surpassed Anderson Silva’s 13-year-old record for the longest winning streak in UFC history.
The main event featured a five-round battle between Makhachev and Garry, according to hypebeast.com. Garry applied pressure early with striking from the feet, but Makhachev turned the match around in the second round. A heavy head kick in the second round stunned Garry and shifted momentum in favor of the champion. Despite surrendering seven takedowns throughout the match, Garry showed strength in the third and fourth rounds. Makhachev used wrestling and strategic clinch work to control the pace in later rounds. In the fifth round, Makhachev executed a precise strategy by taking Garry down and securing a body triangle hold. This final sequence allowed him to dominate the remaining time and secure the win.
The event also featured other notable fights including a fight in which Mackenzie Dern defended her strawweight title against Gillian Robertson. Dern won her bout against Gillian Robertson via unanimous decision in the strawweight division. Other standout performances included a major upset by Dustin Stoltzfus. Charles Johnson earned a Submission of the Year candidate with his finish of Eduardo Chapolin. Jeremiah Wells pulled off an impressive comeback by defeating Myktybek Orolbai with a third-round ninja choke.
The card was part of a larger UFC event that included several high-profile matchups. Makhachev’s victory was celebrated as a major moment in MMA history. The champion continued to show his dominance through both striking and grappling techniques. This win was not only a personal milestone for Makhachev but also a statement about his place in the sport.
The UFC is now preparing to return to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with another event, according to a report from Al Jazeera. That upcoming card will feature a middleweight non-title bout between Anthony Hernandez and Gregory Rodrigues.
IMAGE: Islam Makhachev, current UFC lightweight champion. Photo: Khairu Basar Mursalat / Wikimedia, taken 2022-02-08, CC BY-SA 4.0