Islam Makhachev achieved a milestone in mixed martial arts competition on Saturday night, surpassing a longstanding UFC record by securing his 17th consecutive victory. The 34-year-old fighter defeated Ian Machado Garry through unanimous decision in the main event of UFC 330, held in Philadelphia, successfully defending his 170-pound championship. The scorecards read 49-46, 49-46, and 48-47 in Makhachev’s favor across the five-round bout.
Makhachev’s achievement breaks a record previously held by Hall of Famer Anderson Silva, who had won 16 consecutive fights. The Russian fighter’s current winning streak dates to 2015, and he claimed the welterweight title in his first attempt when he defeated Jack Della Maddalena in November 2025. Despite visible injuries to his face sustained during the fight, including cuts and bruising, Makhachev proved victorious in a competitive matchup. UFC leadership suggested the record may stand for years to come given Makhachev’s demonstrated dominance across weight classes.
In other championship action, Mackenzie Dern successfully defended the 115-pound strawweight title in her first title defense, defeating Gillian Robertson by unanimous decision with identical scorecards of 49-46, 49-46, and 48-47. Dern had won the vacant belt in her previous fight at UFC 321. The contest featured limited striking in later rounds, with both fighters primarily grappling on the canvas.
Elsewhere on the card, 40-year-old lightweight Edson Barboza announced his retirement following a loss to Esteben Ribovics. Barboza, who began his MMA career in 2009 and made his UFC debut the following year, received a standing ovation from the crowd. The event marked Philadelphia’s third numbered UFC card and its first fight event since 2019, drawing a sellout crowd of 19,238 fans to the arena.
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