Islam Makhachev looks to defend his welterweight title against Ian Machado Garry in the main event of UFC 330 in Philadelphia on Saturday.
The native of Dagestan has built one of the best resumes of the modern era, with a win on Saturday potentially breaking the record for most consecutive UFC victories held by Anderson Silva at 16. Makhachev has been a wrecking ball to the elite of the sport, taking out Alexander Volkanovski twice as well as Charles Oliveira. He earned the welterweight crown with a dominant showing against Jack Della Maddalena.
Garry burst onto the UFC scene in November 2021, winning eight consecutive fights to run his career record to 15-0. He then suffered the first loss of his professional career when he dropped a December 2024 decision to Shavkat Rakhmonov. Garry has since rebounded with a pair of wins to receive a shot at the belt.
Makhachev, the pupil of former lightweight champion and UFC Hall of Famer Khabib Nurmagomedov, has been a dominant force in the welterweight division. His skills and experience make him a formidable opponent for Garry, who has yet to face a top-level contender.
The co-main event of UFC 330 sees Mackenzie Dern defend her women's strawweight title against Gillian Robertson. Dern has strung together three straight wins, including a strong showing against Virna Jandiroba last October to claim the title. Robertson, however, may have put together a more impressive run with a 7-2 record dating back to 2022.
Dern's ability to silence doubters about her skills will be put to the test against Robertson, who is coming off a huge win over Amanda Lemos in March. The BJJ specialist will need to be at her best to overcome Robertson's aggressive style.
In the lightweight division, Jalin Turner faces Kaue Fernandes in an important bout. Turner has been trying to establish himself in the rankings at 155 pounds, but consecutive losses to Mateusz Gamrot and Dan Hooker stalled his rise. He bounced back with a TKO of King Green to close the year, but then suffered back-to-back stoppage losses to Renato Moicano and Ignacio Bahamondes in 2024 and 2025.
Turner bounced back once more last December with a TKO of Edson Barboza, but he needs another stellar performance like that on Saturday to establish himself in the rankings. A win against Fernandes would be a crucial step towards a top contender spot.
The complete fight card for UFC 330 is set, with Makhachev vs. Garry headlining the event. The stage is now set for an exciting night of fights in Philadelphia.
Source: CBS