RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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Islam Makhachev and Ian Machado Garry reignite the rivalry between Dagestan and Ireland. It may not have the bad blood of Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Conor McGregor , but UFC 330 certainly presents the two best welterweights on the planet.
Makhachev is on a historic run. Already the sport's top pound-for-pound fighter, every new fight is another opportunity to build his legacy. He started 2025 by breaking the lightweight title defense record and ended it by becoming a two-division champion. On Saturday, he can extend his undefeated UFC streak to 17, breaking a record originally set by Anderson Silva 14 years ago.
Garry doesn't plan to be a means to an end. The abundantly confident title challenger already considers himself a living great. Equipped with nearly unbeatable skills and trained by BJJ legends Demian Maia and Charles Oliveira , Garry's potential to upset the champion should not be ignored.
Before we get to the main event, there's another title fight set for Philly. Amid Zhang Weili's extended absence, Mackenzie Dern can carve out her own legacy as UFC women's strawweight champion. That journey begins against Gillian Robertson, who looks to bring Canada its first UFC title in nearly a decade.
UFC's return to Philadelphia also features Mansur Abdul-Malik's ridiculous knockout power, a second chance for Jalin Turner's MMA career, and more.
Pick your fights for UFC 330 ! Sign up for our UFC Pick'em Game on the CBS Sports App. Join the challenge and compete to win $5,000! Picks close Saturday at 7 p.m. ET.
With so much happening on Saturday night, let's look more closely at the full fight card with the latest odds before we get to our staff predictions and picks for the PPV portion of the festivities that you can consider before hitting the sportsbooks .
Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook (Odds as of Aug. 14)
With such a massive main event on tap, the crew at CBS Sports went ahead with predictions and picks for the main card from Brian Campbell, Brent Brookhouse, Shakiel Mahjouri, Michael Mormile and Brandon Wise.
Campbell: Garry's advantages of five inches in height and four inches in reach should combine with his cage IQ and defensive skills to make this a difficult test of Makhachev's all-around game. However, the two-division champion is the pound-for-pound king for a reason. Garry's inability to hurt or finish elite foes will likely leave him out of options, even if his takedown defense is strong. Look for Makhachev to break Anderson Silva's record for consecutive wins and cement himself among the best fighters in the history of the sport in one of his toughest challenges to date.
Brookhouse: I consider Garry a very live dog in this fight. He's a legitimate and long welterweight, and Makhachev is still new to the weight. I think Garry will have some good moments throughout the fight while Makhachev needs to figure out a way to close distance with regularity. Ultimately, Makhachev will likely be able to score enough takedowns and do good enough work on the ground to earn a decision victory, but the victory will be hard-fought and earned while Garry proves himself a legitimate contender at 170 pounds.
Mahjouri: Makhachev by decision is the sensible choice. He coasted through five rounds in his welterweight debut. Now he fights a patient opponent who has never been finished. However, Javier Mendez, Makhachev's coach, convinced me that we'll see a more aggressive side of the champion. There's a different risk analysis to weigh when changing divisions. Makhachev addressed those questions last time and enters UFC 330 as a more legitimate welterweight. Garry is well-rounded and responsible, but he lacks the power or conviction to deter Makhachev. The champion respects his challenger, but I doubt he fears him. That should give Makhachev the confidence to get the fight in his realm and secure a finish. He seems motivated to do so.
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