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The blockbuster matchup has been confirmed. UFC welterweight champion Islam Makhachev (34, Russia) will defend his title for the first time against the No. 1-ranked 'The Future' Ian Machado Garry (28, Ireland).
UFC will host 'UFC 330: Makhachev vs. Machado Garry' on the 16th (Korean time) at the Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. The event features a double title fight, with the main welterweight championship bout and the co-main strawweight championship match taking place simultaneously.
Makhachev, the welterweight champion competing in the main event, will challenge the all-time record for consecutive wins in UFC history. Currently tied for first place overall with former middleweight champion Anderson Silva at 16 consecutive victories, Makhachev will achieve a historic 17-fight winning streak if he wins this bout. This is his first title defense since capturing both the lightweight and welterweight belts by defeating Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 322 last November.
Garry, boasting an impressive 17-1 record, is determined to dethrone the No. 1 pound-for-pound ranked Makhachev and claim the throne. Inspired by Irish former featherweight and lightweight champion Conor McGregor, Garry entered mixed martial arts (MMA). A victory in this fight would allow him to surpass McGregor's 10-fight win streak and secure his 11th consecutive UFC win.
The matchup is also highly anticipated as a clash of pride between grapplers and strikers. Makhachev, a gold medalist in the Combat Sambo division at the 2016 International Sambo Federation (FIAS) World Championships, has successfully executed 41 takedowns in UFC competition, boasting an average of 3.1 successful takedowns per 15 minutes. Garry, who began MMA training at age 10, specializes in striking and possesses precise striking ability with a significant advantage of +1.92 landed strikes per minute.
However, both fighters are well-rounded 'well-rounders.' Makhachev demonstrates powerful striking, having knocked out Alexander Volkanovsky, while Garry holds a black belt in judo and possesses formidable grappling skills.
This matchup evokes memories of the highly anticipated rivalry between Khabib Nurmagomedov and McGregor in 2018. Makhachev grew up under Khabib and his father Abdulmanap as an honorary brother, while Garry followed in McGregor's footsteps after admiring him.
At media day, Makhachev stated, "Garry excels in striking and wrestling defense, but he has clear weaknesses. He is not a perfect fighter like me." He added, "I hold the key to breaking him down. I will humble him by making him act like a villain," confidently predicting victory.
In response, Garry analyzed, "Islam will try to take me down, and I must maintain striking exchanges. This is a battle of who can best utilize their specialty and dominate their domain."
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*This content was translated by AI.
