Philadelphia prepares for UFC 330: Makhachev vs Machado Garry
UFC 330: Makhachev vs Machado Garry is set to take place at the Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, marking the first numbered UFC event in the city in over 15 years. This event follows a previous UFC card in Philadelphia in March 2019, which featured multiple first-round finishes.
The upcoming fight card is anticipated to deliver exciting matchups, with historical data from previous UFC events in Philadelphia suggesting a potential for several stoppages. The main event features Islam Makhachev defending his welterweight title, while the co-main event will see Mackenzie Dern put her strawweight title on the line.
Welterweight Championship Main Event
Islam Makhachev will defend his welterweight championship against Ian Machado Garry. Makhachev secured the welterweight belt last November by defeating Jack Della Maddalena at Madison Square Garden. This victory made him a two-weight world champion and extended his winning streak to 16, matching Anderson Silva‘s record for the longest winning streak in UFC history.
Makhachev‘s fighting style relies on his grappling skills, as demonstrated in his win against Della Maddalena, where he maintained control for 19 minutes and limited his opponent to 18 significant strikes. His career has seen him defeat notable opponents such as Alexander Volkanovski, Dustin Poirier, and Renato Moicano.
The challenger, Ian Machado Garry, earned his title shot with two victories in 2025. He defeated Carlos Prates over five rounds in April and then secured a win against former champion Belal Muhammad over three rounds in November. Machado Garry has won his last five fights by decision.
A notable aspect of this main event is the size difference between the two fighters. Makhachev will be giving up four inches in both height and reach to Machado Garry. Machado Garry has showcased strong takedown defense, precise footwork, and an effective use of his reach, which could be a significant factor in the early stages of the fight.
Beyond the octagon, Islam Makhachev has built a substantial fortune through his successful UFC career, with an estimated net worth of around $6 million as of 2026. His income sources include fight purses, bonuses, pay-per-view earnings, and various sponsorships. His reported earnings include approximately $1.5 million from his first fight against Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 284, an estimated $2.5 million from their rematch at UFC 294, and about $1.8 million for his fight against Dustin Poirier at UFC 302.
Born on October 27, 1991, in Makhachkala, Dagestan, Russia, Makhachev began martial arts training as a child and became a world champion in combat sambo in 2016. He joined the UFC in 2015 and has since become a dominant force. His commercial partnerships include brands like Monster Energy, Gorilla Energy, Wahed Invest, Milaf, YoungLA, and Al Hadaya. Wahed Invest, a Shariah-compliant investment platform, aligns with his public image and connection to Muslim audiences.
Women’s Strawweight Co-Main Event
The co-main event features Mackenzie Dern defending her strawweight title for the first time against Gillian Robertson. Dern claimed the vacant title last October in Abu Dhabi, coming from behind to defeat Virna Jandiroba. A multiple-time world champion in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and a skilled submission grappler, Dern has also developed her striking throughout her UFC career.
Robertson enters the fight on a strong run, having won five consecutive fights and six of her last seven since returning to the strawweight division. Her most recent victory was against Amanda Lemos in March. Robertson is also primarily a grappler and holds the record for the most submission wins among female fighters in UFC history. She is tied with Amanda Nunes for the most overall finishes in the women’s division, with 10.
The outcome of this fight may depend on Robertson‘s ability to control the fight’s location and progression. If she can engage in close-quarters combat or maintain a dominant top position, it could hinder Dern‘s attempts to create space or seek submissions.
Additional Main Card Matchups
The main card also includes a flyweight bout between Charles Johnson and Jose Ochoa. Johnson, an American veteran, will be making his fourth appearance of the year and fifth in the last calendar year. He is coming off a submission loss to Asu Almabayev in June but brings significant experience to the fight.
Jose Ochoa, representing Chute Boxe Diego Lima, has a professional record of 9-2. The 25-year-old from Peru has secured a stoppage win over Cody Durden and a unanimous decision victory against Clayton Carpenter at UFC 328 in May. This fight offers an opportunity to assess Ochoa‘s development and see if Johnson can return to the win column.
Another main card bout features Mansur Abdul-Malik against Dustin Stoltzfus. Both fighters are graduates of Dana White’s Contender Series and have roots in Pennsylvania. Abdul-Malik is returning after experiencing the first loss of his professional career.
The full fight card for UFC 330 includes additional preliminary matches such as Chidi Njokuani vs. Joel Alvarez, Jalin Turner vs. Kaue Fernandes, Donte Johnson vs. Eric McConico, Vicente Luque vs. Tresean Gore, Rafael Tobias vs. Lucas Fernando, Neil Magny vs. Ramiz Brahimaj, and Jeremiah Wells vs. Myktybek Orolbai.
The event is scheduled for Saturday, August 15.
Source: ufc.com
Priya Menon 