The Ultimate Fighting Championship welterweight king retained his belt with a hard-fought victory over Garry in the main event of UFC 330 in Philadelphia. The challenger pushed the champ to the limit and the latter recently revealed what made the five-rounder so challenging.
How Ian Garry’s patient approach frustrated Islam Makhachev at UFC 330
Makhachev claims Garry’s lack of output on the feet made the matchup a tricky puzzle to solve.
“Very hard to fight with someone who stands… No working, just standing and waiting,” Makhachev said in a post-fight interview. “Very difficult. He prepared himself well for the fight; he gave me a hard time, but no matter. From the first second to the last second, I am going to war. I am going to win, doesn’t matter how.”
Later, at the post-fight presser, Makhachev revealed that Garry caught him with an inadvertent headbutt during one of their grappling exchanges.
“He gave me a very hard headbutt,” Makhachev said. “It’s OK. Hard fight. It makes you improve and I feel I improved.”
Makhachev edged the final round to seal a closely contested decision, breaking the record for the longest win streak in UFC history. He’s now targeting Carlos Prates for his second title defense at 170 pounds.
“From the first second to last second, I am going to war. I am going to win.”
Islam Makhachev (@MAKHACHEVMMA) talks after his record-breaking 17th fight in a row. #UFC330
Complete Main Card Results ➡️ https://t.co/abo02MZyyI
Official Scorecards: https://t.co/NIwLltPq94pic.twitter.com/ImwwDe2AKP— UFC News (@UFCNews) August 16, 2026