Islam Makhachev just pulled off an incredible win at UFC 330, retaining his UFC welterweight title, but he got pushed in a way nobody, not even Daniel Cormier, has ever seen. Cormier, who knows Makhachev better than most, said straight up that the champ was “seriously tested” by Ian Machado Garry, showing signs of fatigue and getting “bloody, beat up” during the Saturday night main event in Philadelphia. This was no walk in the park for the Dagestani phenom.
Garry Unleashed an Absolute Storm That Shook the Champ
Seriously, Ian Machado Garry came to fight, and he gave Makhachev everything he had. We saw the champ “bloody, beat up,” and that just doesn’t happen with Islam. Garry hung tough on the ground, making it incredibly hard for Makhachev to establish dominant positions. He even managed to cut and mark up Makhachev on the feet, which is just insane. In Round 1, Islam got a takedown and rode Garry like a collegiate wrestler, but he couldn’t flatten him out, couldn’t secure that dominant position we’re used to seeing. Cormier noted it clearly took “a lot of energy for Islam to keep Ian Garry down.” Round 2 went to Makhachev after he hurt Garry with a head kick, but Round 3? Garry defended a takedown, got top control himself, and kept Islam standing the whole time, winning that round on every single scorecard. You heard that right: Garry won a round, and one judge even gave him Round 4. The tension was so real that going into Round 5, Makhachev’s corner told him, “we don’t know what’s going on. We need you to win the fifth round.” That’s the kind of pressure champions are made of, and Islam delivered, controlling the final round on the ground to close it out.
Makhachev Broke Records, But the Cost Was Clear
Makhachev outlasted Machado Garry, moving his record to 29-1 MMA with 18-1 UFC, and while he technically won four of the five rounds, this felt different. With this victory, Makhachev broke the record for most consecutive victories in UFC history, now standing at 17 wins in a row. Think about that for a second. Anderson Silva’s 16-fight streak was legendary, and Islam just blew past it. He also became only the fifth person in UFC history to defend a championship in a second weight class, which is just monumental. Yet, even with all these historical feats, Cormier acknowledges that fighting at welterweight is proving to be a “significant size difference” for the former lightweight king. Makhachev might be on a pedestal, but this fight proved he’s human, capable of being pushed to his absolute limit.
What’s next for Islam Makhachev, especially after a grueling fight like this? He’s cemented himself as an all-time great, no doubt about it. But facing such a tough test at welterweight means every challenger coming up will watch this fight closely, hoping to find a weakness. The next time he steps in the octagon, it’ll be to prove he can dominate at this weight class, not just survive.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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