PHILADELPHIA (AP) \u2014 The bridge of Islam Makhachev\u2019s nose, right cheek and forehead were scraped or sliced open and his left cheek sported a baseball-sized bruise after taking a few too many brutal blows to the face.<\/p>\n
He may not have looked the part, yet Makhachev was again a winner \u2014 all while toppling one of UFC\u2019s most enduring records. <\/p>\n
Makhachev set the UFC record with his 17th straight victory, reaching the milestone with a unanimous decision over Ian Machado Garry to successfully defend his 170-pound championship in the main event of UFC 330 on Saturday night.<\/p>\n
Makhachev won 49-46 on two scorecards and 48-47 on the third in a competitive five-round fight that never rose to the level of greatness.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe gave me a hard time,\u201d Makhachev said, \u201cbut I still prove it every fight.\u201d<\/p>\n
Makhachev (29-1) was tied with UFC Hall of Famer Anderson Silva with 16 straight victories and has not lost since UFC 192 in 2015. Makhachev won the welterweight crown in his first attempt when he beat Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 322<\/a> in November 2025. <\/p>\n He took his share of head kicks in his first title defense, notably in the third round that did most of the cosmetic damage, yet bested a record set by Silva that had stood for 13 years.<\/p>\n \u201cIf he keeps going like he says he\u2019s going to keep going, it might never be beaten,\u201d UFC CEO Dana White said.<\/p>\n The 34-year-old Makhachev nearly ended the fight in the second when he threw his left foot and caught Machado Garry flush with a headkick that dropped the challenger to his rear end. Makhachev pounced with a series of punches that had the sellout crowd of 19,238 fans roaring in anticipation of a quick finish, only for Machado Garry \u2014 serenaded throughout with obscenity-laced chants \u2014 to hold on and finish the round.<\/p>\n Machado Garry (17-2) won the third round on all three scorecards and rallied in the fifth round with seven significant strikes landed to none for Makhachev. <\/p>\n Yet it wasn\u2019t enough to topple one of UFC\u2019s great fighters.<\/p>\n \u201cI believed in my heart and soul I was better than him tonight, and he won,\u201d Machado Garry said. \u201cNo complaints, no excuses. I\u2019m 28, I have a decade of domination already. This man won tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n Makhachev \u2014 who held the lightweight championship and has seven total wins in title fights \u2014 continues to dominate no matter the weight class.<\/p>\n Dern defends 115-pound title on first try<\/p>\n Mackenzie Dern successfully defended the 115-pound championship in her first title defense with a unanimous decision victory over Gillian Robertson that could set her up for a fight with division great Zhang Weili.<\/p>\n Dern (17-5) won the vacant strawweight belt in her last fight at UFC 321 and won a lopsided and lackluster first defense against Robertson.<\/p>\n Dern won 49-46 on two scorecards and 48-47 on the third in the five-round fight.<\/p>\n \u201cI wanted to get the submission with Gillian,\u201d Dern said. \u201cI definitely wanted to submit her. That was the goal.\u201d<\/p>\n Dern nearly made Robertson (17-9) tap in the first round with a choke hold that about turned the challenger\u2019s face as pinkish-red as her braided hair. Dern might have won the bout had it stretched even another 30 seconds, but Robertson was saved by the bell.<\/p>\n Too bad the fight didn\u2019t end there.<\/p>\n The next four rounds were relatively uneventful, and the title match slowed to a near complete stop as they mostly locked up on the canvas with barely a strike thrown.<\/p>\n Dern\u2019s 7-year-old daughter peered her head over the barricade from her front row seat and shouted encouragement each time mom got close to her side of the cage. The little girl could be heard well over a rowdy crowd that had about been lulled into passiveness \u2014 and eventually, boos in the fifth round \u2014 in the humdrum title fight.<\/p>\n Barboza calls it a career after loss at UFC 330<\/p>\n Edson Barboza left his fight gloves on the mat and choked back tears as he retired following a lightweight loss on the main card to Esteben Ribovics. <\/p>\n The 40-year-old Barboza received a standing ovation and was flanked by his family as he officially called it quits after an MMA career that began in 2009. He made his UFC debut a year later and won multiple Fight of the Night honors. He lost the last four fights of his career.<\/p>\n \u201cEvery single fight, I promise I did my best,\u201d Barboza said from inside the cage.<\/p>\n Barboza dropped to his knees and bowed his head as he lay down his gloves and was consoled by UFC ring announcer Bruce Buffer as he made the final walk back to the locker room.<\/p>\n Different kind of Broad Street Bullies usher in UFC\u2019s return to Philadelphia<\/p>\n