Islam Makhachev Sets New UFC Record with 17th Straight Victory

Islam Makhachev secured a unanimous decision win over Ian Machado Garry at UFC 330 in Philadelphia, marking his 17th consecutive victory in the UFC and breaking Anderson Silva's long-standing record. The Dagestani champion dominated early with grappling and improved striking, but appeared fatigued in the later rounds. A decisive takedown with under three minutes left in the fight sealed the win.

"Ian is a great fighter, a good man, and he gave me a hard time," Makhachev said in the cage after the bout.

The victory represents Makhachev's seventh straight title-fight win, spanning both the lightweight and welterweight divisions. Official UFC statistics show Garry landed more significant and total strikes, but Makhachev's seven takedowns and over 12 minutes of control time proved decisive.

"Nothing surprised me. I have nothing but respect for Islam," Garry said after the decision.

Makhachev, who moved up from the 155-pound to the 170-pound division, previously captured the lightweight title and has defended titles in two weight classes. His only career loss came in 2015 to Adriano Martins. The new record follows previous streaks by fighters such as Kamaru Usman and Merab Dvalishvili, underscoring the difficulty of achieving such consistency in the UFC.