UFC 330 results, takeaways: Islam Makhachev makes history, but more danger is lurking

In a night filled with surprising upsets throughout the entire card, Islam Makhachev was able to narrowly avoid one in the main event as he outlasted the defensive-minded Ian Machado Garry to successfully retain his welterweight title in the main event of UFC 330, marking a historic moment in his illustrious career. Additionally, women's strawweight champion Mackenzie Dern looked strong in the co-headliner, dominating Gillian Robertson to make the first successful defense of her 115-pound title. Both of these bouts were filled with exciting moments and provided numerous takeaways for the fans and experts alike.

One of the most significant takeaways from the night was Makhachev's ability to maintain his undefeated record at welterweight. Despite being faced with a formidable opponent like Ian Machado Garry, Makhachev was able to utilize his grappling skills and patient approach to ultimately claim a unanimous decision victory on scores of 49-46 (twice) and 48-47. This win not only showcased Makhachev's skills but also etched his name into the history books by breaking Anderson Silva's record for consecutive wins inside the Octagon with 17.

What makes Makhachev's record so special is his ability to win by any means necessary across two different weight classes, taking down opponents of various styles and skill sets. This unique ability has allowed him to sustain his dominant success and make him a force to be reckoned with in the UFC. However, despite his outstanding performance, Machado Garry proved to be a more difficult challenge than anticipated, forcing Makhachev into long stretches of passivity on the feet and pushing him to work harder than arguably any other opponent in this stretch.

Machado Garry's impressive performance cannot be overstated. The 28-year-old native of Ireland displayed incredible toughness by getting up from being dropped, and his takedown defense was a major factor in the fight. However, as UFC CEO and president Dana White pointed out, Machado Garry lacks 'even an ounce of killer instinct,' which would have made a big difference in the outcome of the fight. Despite this, Machado Garry raised his stock on Saturday and has undoubtedly established himself as a contender in the division.

Islam Makhachev's dominance at 170 pounds has yet to be proven, particularly against elite opponents. So, the sound you heard after the UFC 330 main event was likely the rest of the division letting out a sigh of relief after Machado Garry proved that Makhachev is human. Granted, few fighters in the sport are as sound defensively as Machado Garry. But the challenger did provide some doubt that Makhachev will be able to have the same type of sustained dominant success he had at lightweight against more dangerous and larger foes.

Normally, it's the bout in which a fighter becomes UFC champion for the first time that's considered their true breakthrough moment. However, Mackenzie Dern's performance on Saturday gave off the exact opposite feeling. Dern looked poised, confident, and technically sound in her approach against Robertson, firmly establishing herself as a true defending champion. Her striking was fluid, accurate, and powerful, outclassing Robertson on the feet, while her wrestling was also significantly improved, utilizing powerful double-leg takedowns in each of the first two rounds to take the fighting spirit out of her opponent.

Mackenzie Dern doesn't plan on taking too much time off after her win at UFC 330. "I definitely want to be active. Now that I was able to defend, I think I was able to solidify myself as the champ now," she stated. This sentiment is shared by many fans and experts who believe that Dern has finally established herself as the top dog in the women's strawweight division. However, the question remains: who will be the next opponent for the champ?

One year ago, the 31-year-old Jack Della Maddalena was briefly retired following a stretch in which he lost four of five bouts. But a lot has changed since those days as Maddalena's time away appears to have rejuvenated him both mentally and physically. On Saturday, he made a statement by dominating Kaue Fernandes en route to a 39-second knockout. Maddalena has the potential to make another run into the top 15 as the lightweight division looks as dangerous and confident as ever.