PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The bridge of Islam Makhachev's nose, right cheek and forehead were scraped or sliced open and his left cheek sported a baseball-sized bruise after taking a few too many brutal blows to the face.
He may not have looked the part, yet Makhachev was again a winner — all while toppling one of UFC's most enduring records.
Makhachev set the UFC record with his 17th straight victory, reaching the milestone with a unanimous decision over
Ian Machado Garry to successfully defend his 170-pound championship in the main event of UFC 330 on Saturday night.
Makhachev won 49-46 on two scorecards and 48-47 on the third in a competitive five-round fight that never rose to the level of greatness.
“He gave me a hard time," Makhachev said, "but I still prove it every fight.”
Makhachev (29-1) was tied with UFC Hall of Famer Anderson Silva with 16 straight victories and has not lost since UFC 192 in 2015. Makhachev won the welterweight crown in his first attempt when he beat Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 322 in November 2025.
He took his share of head kicks in his first title defense, notably in the third round that did most of the cosmetic damage, yet bested a record set by Silva that had stood for 13 years.
“If he keeps going like he says he's going to keep going, it might never be beaten,” UFC CEO Dana White said.
The 34-year-old Makhachev nearly ended the fight in the second when he threw his left foot and caught Machado Garry flush with a headkick that dropped the challenger to his rear end. Makhachev pounced with a series of punches that had the sellout crowd of 19,238 fans roaring in anticipation of a quick finish, only for Machado Garry — serenaded throughout with obscenity-laced chants — to hold on and finish the round.
Machado Garry (17-2) won the third round on all three scorecards and rallied in the fifth round with seven significant strikes landed to none for Makhachev.
Yet it wasn’t enough to topple one of UFC’s great fighters.
“I believed in my heart and soul I was better than him tonight, and he won," Machado Garry said. “No complaints, no excuses. I’m 28, I have a decade of domination already. This man won tonight.”
Makhachev — who held the lightweight championship and has seven total wins in title fights — continues to dominate no matter the weight class.
Mackenzie Dern successfully defended the 115-pound championship in her first title defense with a unanimous decision victory over Gillian Robertson that could set her up for a fight with division great Zhang Weili.
Dern (17-5) won the vacant strawweight belt in her last fight at UFC 321 and won a lopsided and lackluster first defense against Robertson.
Dern won 49-46 on two scorecards and 48-47 on the third in the five-round fight.
“I wanted to get the submission with Gillian," Dern said. "I definitely wanted to submit her. That was the goal.”
Dern nearly made Robertson (17-9) tap in the first round with a choke hold that about turned the challenger’s face as pinkish-red as her braided hair. Dern might have won the bout had it stretched even another 30 seconds, but Robertson was saved by the bell.
Too bad the fight didn't end there.
The next four rounds were relatively uneventful, and the title match slowed to a near complete stop as they mostly locked up on the canvas with barely a strike thrown.
Dern's 7-year-old daughter peered her head over the barricade from her front row seat and shouted encouragement each time mom got close to her side of the cage. The little girl could be heard well over a rowdy crowd that had about been lulled into passiveness — and eventually, boos in the fifth round — in the humdrum title fight.
Edson Barboza left his fight gloves on the mat and choked back tears as he retired following a lightweight loss on the main card to Esteben Ribovics.
The 40-year-old Barboza received a standing ovation and was flanked by his family as he officially called it quits after an MMA career that began in 2009. He made his UFC debut a year later and won multiple Fight of the Night honors. He lost the last four fights of his career.
“Every single fight, I promise I did my best,” Barboza said from inside the cage.
Barboza dropped to his knees and bowed his head as he lay down his gloves and was consoled by UFC ring announcer Bruce Buffer as he made the final walk back to the locker room.
UFC held only its third numbered card in Philadelphia and first fight event overall in the city since 2019.
UFC 101 was held in August 2009, and UFC 133 was in August 2011.
Philly fight fans were in the mood to make up for lost time and about packed the arena and were wild for the punishing action the preliminary fights delivered hours before the main card was set to start.
It’s a perfect fit for a city that loves their bullies.
The fans got an early reward when 39-year-old Philly fighter Jeremiah Wells — who was booed on his walkout — won via submission on the card's opening night and won over the inhospitable fans.
Tresean Gore won his middleweight fight, but lost his teeth in a unanimous decision victory over Vicente Luque.
Gore took a knee to his mouth and lost most of his bottom front teeth. They littered the cage and the fight official picked at least one up with his gloved hand. Gore pulled down his lower lip to show the bloody results as he talked to fight announcer Joe Rogan.
Charles Johnson celebrated his submission victory by leading the crowd in an off-key rendition of “Fly, Eagles, Fly.” It helps to pander. He walked out of the cage to a big ovation.
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