Islam Makhachev looked to build on his own legacy and defend his welterweight title for the first time in the main event of UFC 330, where Ireland’s Ian Machado Garry was looking to write a big chapter in his own story.
A former lightweight champ, Makhachev had finally emerged from under the shadow of Khabib Nurmagomedov by becoming a two-division champ, something his former teammate/current coach had never done in his own storied career. As for Garry, it was a first shot at gold, in what could be oversimplified as a grappler versus striker match-up.
It was Makhachev opening the action with the leg kick as the two squared off, mostly feinting. The champ fired a high kick, then dove for a leg; Garry defended initially, but gave up his back on the way up, and had to scramble to the fence. A “f*ck you Garry” chant then erupted, with the crowd clearly in the champ’s corner. Garry kept himself grounded by the fence, but couldn’t break free of Makhachev.
The whole round would play out with the pair practically locked in the same spot, Makhachev unable to get the challenger down again, but Garry unable to get the champ off of him.
Garry fired a high kick, albeit a blocked one, to open round two. A second one followed moments later. The champ touched the inside leg with a low kick; Garry went to the body. They clinched up at center, and Garry walked Makhachev back to the fence, trying to beat Islam at his own game. A moment later, Islam stunned Garry with a head kick, returning the favor! Garry was down, back up, then taken down. Makhachev looked for a choke, and moved to side control. The crowd in Philly was all over Garry again, as he tried to hold on, recover, and prevent a submission. He reclaimed half-guard, with a minute left in the second frame. Makhachev nearly took the back later, but Garry survived the round.
Ian Machado Garry fired another head kick of his own to open round three, but came up short on it. After some back-and-forth on the feet, Makhachev landed a key takedown— only for Garry to quickly scramble out. Garry then went to the body with a kick up the middle. Then one to the side. Garry flashed a front face kick that just came up short, shades of Anderson Silva. Another high kick grazed Makhachev, forcing him back. Garry connected low, then stuffed a takedown. A body kick hit the mark for the challenger again. A spinning back fist, then a roundhouse kick, and Garry was on the board, almost certainly winning round three.
It was a low kick landing for Garry to open round four. Then a hard kick to the body for the challenger. Makhachev was no longer leading the attacks, but countering and reacting. A takedown by the champ saw Garry defend, but he may a key error by trying to mix in some strikes, and let Makhachev complete the attempt. Garry scrambled to the fence, getting to a three-point stance, and complaining to the ref that Islam was holding the fence. Either way, Makhachev was still on him. Garry drilled the body with punches and elbows; Islam lifted Garry up, but couldn’t slam him down. Makhachev would land another takedown, but ate several short punches to do so.
The end of the round had Garry looking fresh, and Islam bleeding. Both men embraced to start round five, then raised their hands and gestured to the crowd, getting them into it. Garry connected first in round five, with a right hand. The high kick came next. Then a shot to the body. A right hand backed the champ up. Another body kick by the challenger. Islam shot in, and Garry scrambled up and to the fence. That brought out some boo-birds, who wanted the stand-up action to continue. Instead, Makhachev landed a much-needed takedown, and took the back. He had both hooks in, with half a round to go. Then a body triangle.
The fight would end there. Makhachev would never get the sub, but Garry couldn’t break free of the triangle. That likely gave the champ the round, and the fight. And it did.
Official Result: Islam Makhachev def. Ian Machado Garry by unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 48-47)
