Overview
- Makhachev defeated Ian Machado Garry by unanimous decision in the main event at UFC 330 on Saturday, extending his consecutive-UFC win streak to a record 17 and moving his pro record to 29-1.
- In the fight he landed a second-round head kick and used takedowns and back control in the fifth to secure the judges’ cards after a physically taxing five rounds.
- Makhachev said he wants to fight again before Ramadan or by year-end and publicly named Carlos Prates as his preferred next opponent while keeping Michael Morales as a viable alternative.
- Analysts and former fighters warned Makhachev that welterweights carry more size and muscle and argued he may need to adjust his game to consistently control longer, stronger opponents.
- Industry reaction also focused on Ian Garry’s in-cage friendliness, which promoters and pundits said could hurt his marketability, and on booking logistics as sportsbooks opened opening odds for Prates and Morales as next challengers.