PHILADELPHIA — Islam Makhachev’s face bore the marks of battle: his nose, right cheek, and forehead were scraped, and a significant bruise formed on his left cheek, likely from the heavy hits he took.
Despite his appearance, Makhachev emerged victorious once again, etching his name into the annals of UFC history with a remarkable achievement.
He set a new UFC record by clinching 17 consecutive wins, achieving this feat by defeating Ian Machado Gary via unanimous decision in the main event of UFC 330 on Saturday night, successfully defending his 170-pound title.
The fight, though hard-fought over five rounds, resulted in scores of 49-46 on two cards and 48-47 on the last, but many felt Makhachev didn’t quite hit the heights of greatness.
“He made me feel very bad,” Makhachev reflected, adding, “But I still prove it every game.”
With a record of 29-1, Makhachev now stands alongside UFC Hall of Famer Anderson Silva, who also accumulated 16 straight wins, not having tasted defeat since UFC 192 in 2015. Makhachev had previously won the welterweight title by defeating Jacques Della Maddalena at UFC 322 in November 2025.
Throughout the fight, he absorbed several head kicks, particularly in the third round, which did significant damage and helped him break Silva’s record that had stood for 13 long years.
UFC CEO Dana White commented, “If he continues to do what he says he will, he may never lose.”
Makhachev, now 34, nearly secured a finish in the second round when a left foot and a head kick sent Machado Gary tumbling. The crowd of 19,238 erupted, anticipating a swift conclusion, but Machado Gary (who faced jeers from the audience) managed to survive the onslaught.
Machado Gary (17-2) did manage to secure the third round on all scorecards, but Makhachev answered back in the final round with seven significant strikes.
Ultimately, it wasn’t enough to overcome one of the UFC’s finest fighters.
“I believed in my heart and soul that I was better than him tonight, but he won,” Machado Gary admitted. “I can’t complain, I can’t make excuses. At 28 years old, I’ve had a lot of experience and tonight he was the better fighter.”
Makhachev, who holds the lightweight belt and has secured seven title fight wins, continues to display remarkable prowess across weight classes.
Dern defends 115-pound title in first attempt
Mackenzie Dern defended her 115-pound title for the first time, securing a unanimous decision against Jillian Robertson, which could open the door for a matchup with fellow contender Weili Zhang.
Dern (17-5) claimed the vacant strawweight title in her previous fight at UFC 321 and faced Robertson in a comparatively one-sided bout.
The fight went to the judges with scores of 49-46 on two cards and 48-47 on the third.
“I wanted to take the submission with Jillian,” Dern expressed, noting, “That was my goal.”
In the opening round, Dern came close to submission, nearly forcing Robertson (17-9) to tap out with a chokehold that turned her face a shade almost matching her pink braids, but she wasn’t able to finish it before the bell.
However, the following rounds didn’t see much action, with both fighters mostly wrestling for control on the canvas, and strikes were few and far between.
Throughout the match, Dern’s daughter, just seven years old, cheered from the front row, her voice cutting through the less enthusiastic crowd, which slowly began booing as the fight dragged on.
Barboza reflects on career after loss at UFC 330
Edson Barboza faced a tough defeat in his lightweight title match against Esteben Libovic, and he left his gloves in the cage, teary-eyed as he announced his retirement.
The 40-year-old fighter, ending a career that started in 2009, was met with applause from the audience as he concluded his MMA journey. He made his UFC debut the following year and collected several Fight of the Night awards, yet sadly ended his career on a streak of four straight losses.
“I promise you, I gave my all in every fight,” he shared in the cage.
Barboza took a knee, bowed his head, and laid down his gloves while UFC announcer Bruce Buffer consoled him on his way out.
As the UFC returned to Philadelphia, it marked a long-awaited event, with UFC 330 being the first numbered card in the city since 2019, following previous events in 2009 and 2011.
Fans were eager for the matches, reveling in the atmosphere, which included an exciting pre-game segment before the main card.
It was the perfect setting for a city known for embracing fierce competition.
The opening match saw local fighter Jeremiah Wells, initially met with boos, turn the crowd’s sentiments around by securing a submission victory.
Despite a hard-fought decision win, Trecean Gore suffered a painful loss, ending up missing several front teeth. The scene was dramatic, with one of the officials picking up a tooth from the cage.
Crowd favorite Charles Johnson celebrated his success with a humorous off-key sing-along of “Fly, Eagles, Fly,” earning cheers on his exit from the cage.
