UFC welterweight champion Islam Makhachev will seek his first 170-pound title defense against Ian Machado Garry at UFC 330.
UFC officials announced the welterweight headliner on Wednesday. Additionally, women's strawweight champion Mackenzie Dern will also seek her first title defense against Gillian Robertson. UFC 330 will take place on Aug. 15 at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia.
Makhachev (28-1) is widely considered the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world, and even more so following former lightweight champion Ilia Topuria's first professional loss to Justin Gaethje at UFC Freedom 250 last weekend. Makhachev has won titles at lightweight and welterweight and is undefeated since 2015. He vacated his lightweight title last year and won the welterweight belt by defeating Jack Della Maddalena in a five-round decision.
Machado Garry (17-1), of Ireland, is 10-1 in the UFC, with his only loss coming against undefeated Shavkat Rakhmonov in December 2024. Machado Garry lost that bout, but became the first opponent in Rakhmonov's career to avoid being finished. He has since rebounded with back-to-back wins over Carlos Prates and former champion Belal Muhammad.
Dern (16-5) claimed the vacant 115-pound title in a five-round decision over Virna Jandiroba (22-3) in October. The belt was vacated by dominant Chinese champion Zhang Weili, in anticipation of her move up to flyweight last November. Zhang came up short in a flyweight title bid against Valentina Shevchenko. It is possible she could return to strawweight eventually.
Robertson (17-8) is on a five-fight winning streak. More than half of her professional wins have come by submission.
