Makhachev Remains Undisputed, Dern Defends Strawweight Title at UFC 330

Islam Makhachev cannot be denied. After a long reign as UFC lightweight champ, the Russian tallied his first defense of the welterweight belt against Ian Machado Garry at UFC 330 in Philadelphia. Garry deserves some props for a valiant challenge, but his strong effort only served to validate Makhachev as one of the greatest fighters of all time. Mackenzie Dern also showed out in Philly, out-grappling Gillian Robertson to a decision win, tallying her first defense as strawweight champ in the offing. Jalin Turner, Estaban Ribovics, and Dustin Stoltzfus also showed on out on what turned out to be a very fun night of fights. Scroll on for a complete recap of all the action in Philly.

UFC 330: Makhachev vs. Garry Full Fight Card

• Welterweight: Islam Makhachev def. Ian Machado Garry by unanimous decision (49-46 x 2, 48-47)
• Strawweight: Mackenzie Dern def. Gillian Robertson by unanimous decision (49-46 x 2, 49-47)
• Lightweight: Jalin Turner def. Kaue Fernandes at 0:39 of round 1
• Middleweight: Dustin Stoltzfus def. Mansur Abdul-Malik by submission at 4:25 of round 2
• Lightweight: Esteban Ribovics def Edson Barboza by KO (punches) at 1:32 of round 2
• Welterweight: Chidi Njokuani def. Joel Alvarez by unanimous decision (30-27 x 2, 29-28)
• Flyweight: Charles Johnson def. Eduardo Henrique by submission (Scottish twister) at 1:36 of round 3
• Middleweight: Donte Johnson def. Eric McConico by KO (left hand) at 1:38 of round 1
• Middleweight: Tresean Gore def. Vicente Luque by unanimous decision (30-27 x 2, 29-29)
• Light Heavyweight: Lucas Fernando def. Rafael Tobias by KO (knee to the body) at 1:10 of round 3
• Welterweight: Magny def. Brahimaj via TKO (punches) at 3:20 of round 2
• Welterweight: Wells def. Orolbai via submission (guillotine choke) at 1:25 of round 3

Minute by minute

• 1 hour ago 07:26 AM: And Still! There is no better fighter on earth today than Islam Makhachev. Ian Machado Garry was the challenger most fight fans thought he would be. He pushed Makhachev to the limit, and arguably won a round or two of their five-round fight. In the end, though, the champion retained his title with an inarguable decision win. In victory, Makhachev is now a staggering 29-1. More importantly, he has now defended titles in two UFC weight classes. He will always have naysayers, but at this point, his accolades are irrefutable. He is, without question, one of the best fighters ever.
• 2 hours ago 06:30 AM: Makhachev Defends - Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC Islam Makhachev (28-1), a protege of Khabib Nurmagomedov, and one of a small group of two-division champs in UFC history, fights next. The Russian will defend his welterweight belt against Ian Machado Garry. (17-1) Garry, like anyone matched up with Makhachev, is a big underdog, but seems to have the skills to win this fight. He's tall, he's rangy, he's skillful, and he's durable. He’s also riding wins over Carlos Prates and Belal Muhammad. Let's see if that's enough to unseat one of the best fighters ever in Makhachev, who has not fought since he won the belt from Jack Della Maddalena last year.
• 2 hours ago 06:23 AM: Dern Dominates Robertson Mackenzie Dern proved herself as an elite UFC champion on Saturday, dominating her challenger Gillian Robertson en route to a unanimous decision win. Dern, an extremely decorated BJJ champion, looked a level above Robertson for the duration of their fight. She controlled the vast majority of the action, even in the rare moments she was on her back. In victory, Dern is 17-5 overall. She will continue to have to answer questions about the return of former champ Zhang Weili, who has all the skills to dominate her. For now, though, she is the queen of her division. In defeat, Robertson experiences her first loss in five fights. Canada will have to wait for its next Georges St-Pierre. Mike Malott, you're up.
• 3 hours ago 05:38 AM: Title Fights Up Next - Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC We've reached the last two fights of the night, both of which are title fights. First up, BJJ legend Mackenzie Dern will attempt the first defense of her strawweight title opposite Canada's Gillian Robertson. On paper, Dern is a more decorated grappler than almost anybody in her division, and capable of winning this easily on the mat, but Robertson has a track record of upsets and finishes. Dern's status as a big favorite is a little questionable.