Makhachev Makes UFC History With 17th Straight Win at UFC 330.

Islam Makhachev added another historic achievement to his career Saturday night at UFC 330, defeating Ian Machado Garry by unanimous decision and setting a new UFC record with his 17th consecutive victory. Competing inside Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, Makhachev relied on his championship-level wrestling and timely striking to overcome a competitive performance from Garry. The judges scored the welterweight championship fight 49-46, 49-46 and 48-47, all in favor of Makhachev. With the victory, Makhachev improved his professional record to 29-1 and moved past former middleweight champion Anderson Silva, whose 16-fight UFC winning streak had stood as the promotion's record for more than a decade. The matchup was far from an easy night for the champion. Garry entered the fight with noticeable advantages in height and size and used his range to make Makhachev work throughout the five rounds. He showed strong takedown defense at different points in the fight and repeatedly fought his way back to his feet after being taken down. Garry appeared to find his best rhythm in the third round. The Irish contender attacked the body with kicks, threatened with head kicks and stopped several of Makhachev's attempts to bring the fight back to the ground. Makhachev, however, had already delivered one of the biggest moments of the fight in the second round when he connected with a head kick that sent Garry to the canvas. The strike gave Makhachev an important advantage in a fight where several rounds remained closely contested. As the fight entered the championship rounds, Garry continued to challenge Makhachev in the clinch and landed short strikes while forcing the champion to spend significant energy controlling him. The fifth round ultimately showed why Makhachev has remained unbeaten in the UFC for nearly a decade. Knowing the fight was still competitive, Makhachev returned to his strongest weapon. He attacked Garry's legs early in the round and controlled the action with relentless pressure. Even when Garry managed to get back to his feet, Makhachev quickly dragged him down again. During the closing minutes, Makhachev secured Garry's back and locked in a body triangle, preventing the challenger from creating enough space to launch a late comeback. The control helped secure the final round and ultimately the decision.

After the fight, Makhachev credited Garry for giving him one of the more difficult challenges of his championship run.

"Ian is a great fighter, a good man, and I respect him," Makhachev said. "He gave me a hard time, but I still prove it every fight." Garry dropped to 17-2 but remained confident about his future. The 28-year-old acknowledged Makhachev's performance while making it clear he plans to use the loss as motivation to improve. UFC president Dana White also believed Garry had opportunities to change the outcome, particularly entering the fifth round. White praised Makhachev for responding to the pressure by taking control of the final five minutes against a larger and rangier opponent. The victory adds another major accomplishment to Makhachev's growing legacy. His winning streak began in September 2016, and he has since captured championships in two divisions, first establishing himself as the UFC lightweight champion before moving to welterweight and winning another title. Makhachev's rise has drawn comparisons to longtime teammate and former lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, but his latest achievement gives him a piece of UFC history entirely his own.

Silva won 16 consecutive UFC fights between 2006 and 2012, a record that survived for more than 13 years. Makhachev has now pushed the mark to 17 and could extend it even further in his next title defense. The question now becomes who gets the opportunity to stop him.

Undefeated Ecuadorian contender Michael Morales and Brazilian knockout threat Carlos Prates are among the leading names in the welterweight title picture. Either matchup would provide Makhachev with another dangerous test as he continues building his résumé in a second weight class. For now, UFC 330 belongs to Makhachev. He entered Philadelphia chasing a record held by one of the sport's greatest champions and left with his hand raised, his championship intact and a new place in UFC history.