Islam Makhachev is a -360 favorite to retain his UFC welterweight championship against No. 1 ranked contender Ian Machado Garry at UFC 330.
Makhachev, 34, is a highly decorated Russian fighter with a 28-1 all-time record as a professional. He has five wins by knockout, 13 by submission, and 10 by decision, and is on a 16-bout winning streak.
Machado Garry, 28, from Ireland, was a Cage Warriors welterweight champion before joining the UFC in July 2021. He has a 17-1 record in 18 career matches, with seven wins by knockout, one by submission, and nine by decision.
Makhachev's five-bout winning streak is the longest in UFC welterweight division history, while Machado Garry is tied for the third-longest winning streak in the division at eight.
SportsLine expert Kyle Marley has studied the fight from every angle and is backing Makhachev to emerge victorious. "I think Orolbai is the better wrestler and I like him to be the cleaner striker with better cardio," Marley said.
Marley is also backing an underdog who is "the better and more dangerous grappler" to emerge with a big victory, but he is sharing that information only at SportsLine.
The main event is scheduled to start at approximately 9 p.m. ET on Paramount+ and will be live streamed exclusively on the platform.
Makhachev has compiled an impressive record, holding several UFC lightweight records, including longest winning streak (14), most title fight wins (5), most successful title defenses (4), and highest significant strike accuracy at 59.5%.
Machado Garry, on the other hand, made his MMA debut in February 2019, earning a unanimous decision victory over James Sheehan at Cage Warriors 101.
Makhachev's lone defeat was to Adriano Martins by knockout at UFC 192 on October 3, 2015, and he has since compiled a 16-bout winning streak.
The UFC 330 fight card also includes a women's strawweight title fight between Mackenzie Dern (-198) and Gillian Robertson (+164).
Makhachev has been named the CBS Sports 2023 MMA Fighter of the Year, and Marley believes he has the skills to retain his title against Machado Garry.
The UFC 330 event is scheduled to take place at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, with the five-bout main card set to start at approximately 9 p.m. ET on Paramount+.
Marley has a proven track record of providing consistent winners for SportsLine members, and his picks for UFC 330 are not to be missed.
Fans can catch the action live on Paramount+, and can also visit SportsLine to see Marley's detailed picks and analysis for the event.
Source: CBS