Russian MMA champion Islam Makhachev has made UFC history with a commanding welterweight title defense against Ireland’s Ian Machado Garry, notching his 17th straight victory and smashing a UFC record.
UFC 330 at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia on Saturday went the full five rounds, with Makhachev dictating the 25-minute bout through wrestling and ground control while mixing in dynamic striking, including a damaging second-round head kick in Round 2, officially recorded as a knockdown.
While Garry had the edge in striking, landing 161 total strikes to Makhachev’s 144, the latter dominated on the ground, landing six takedowns and 72 ground strikes to Garry’s 14. He also clocked over 12 minutes of control time to Garry’s 34 seconds. With no submission attempts, Makhachev’s wrestling proved decisive, with all three judges scoring the fight in his favor.
A former lightweight world champion, Makhachev had not entered the octagon since November, when he won the welterweight title on his debut in the division.
He faced Garry unbeaten for nearly a decade and riding a 16-fight winning streak – a UFC record he shared with Brazilian legend Anderson Silva. The victory took Makhachev’s overall record to 29 wins and one defeat, while the 28-year-old Garry suffered the second loss of his 19-fight career.
“We, Russia, have proven that we are number one in the world. We’ll beat all records,” Makhachev told the press after his victory. He admitted, however, that securing a victory in the championship rounds is “always hard.”
“Ian is a great fighter, good man and I respect him. He gave me a hard time but I still prove every fight,” the 34-year-old Dagestan-born fighter said.
“I have nothing but respect for Islam… He won. I have no complaints, no excuses,” Garry said after the decision. In a social media video, the Irishman remained upbeat, saying it “wasn’t my night” and congratulating Makhachev, whose career he said he had always respected.
Numerous sports federations and governing bodies barred Russian and Belarusian athletes from international competition following the February 2022 escalation of the Ukraine conflict, ostensibly in solidarity with Kiev and following a recommendation from the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Russian fighters, however, have remained active in global MMA, with major promotions including UFC, Bellator and One FC declining to follow the guidance.
UFC president Dana White said last year that Russian athletes will remain active in the organization despite political tensions.
“We’re a global business,” he said. “Bad sh*t happens all the time all around the world and…yes we will run the business like we always have.”
While the UFC stopped holding events in Russia due to logistical and financial hurdles stemming from sanctions, Kirill Dmitriev, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s envoy for investment and economic cooperation, previously said efforts were underway to bring UFC tournaments back to the country.
Last month, the International Olympic Committee provisionally lifted its suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC), clearing the way for Russian athletes to return to international competition en masse, a development Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova welcomed, saying: “Common sense has prevailed!”
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