This Sunday at UFC 330, Islam Makhachev defends for the first time his 170lb title against Ian Machado Gary at the Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia. If Makhachev is successful, he will break Anderson Silva’s long time record of 17 consecutive UFC Wins. Backgrounds
ISLAM. Makhachev (28-1 overall, 17-1 UFC) is a 34-year-old Dagestani fighter and is currently ranked No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter on most lists. He is a combat sambo world champion and longtime product of the Nurmagomedov school of fighting. He has dominated the lightweight division as champion with a record four straight defenses before vacating to move up in weight.
He captured the welterweight title with a dominant unanimous decision over Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 322 in November 2025, showcasing elite control. He features a hybrid style of high-level wrestling/sambo grappling with steadily improving striking skills.
GARRY. He has a record of 17-1 and is nicknamed “The Future. A former Cage Warriors welterweight champion, he entered the UFC in 2021 and built a strong résumé with wins over names like Michael Page and former champion Belal Muhammad.
The only blemish on his record was a unanimous decision loss to undefeated contender Shavkat Rakhmonov at UFC 310 in December 2024. However, he has rebounded nicely with two decision victories and then called out Makhachev.
Garry is a tall, rangy orthodox striker known for distance striking with proper footwork, volume and accuracy. He also has black-belt-level judo experience but prefers to keep fights standing.
MY TAKE. This is a classic modern striker-vs-grappler matchup. Garry has to use his height/reach edge, footwork, and volume to keep the fight at range and outstrike Makhachev over five rounds.
On the other hand, Makhachev needs to close the distance, secure even a few takedowns or clinch entries, and impose top control or submissions.
In the fight against Della Maddalena, he was able to score repeated takedowns and it’s doubtful if Garry’s ground game is at the level needed to neutralize his elite sambo/wrestling for 25 minutes.
I think the early rounds may favor the Irish fighter if he maintains the proper range and lands clean, voluminous punches and the fight is mostly fought on a vertical level.
Still, Makhachev’s pressure should eventually pay off. Also, if the fight goes into the later rounds, Makhachev has better cardio and a wealth of experience.
Garry’s durability will be in full display here but I lean towards Makhachev taking it via unanimous decision or late submission .
LAST ROUND. It’s on my daughter, singer/songwriter Julia Q who recently did her EP launch. Congrats Ate!