Coach believes UFC 330 win has vaulted Islam Makhachev into ‘GOAT picture’

Islam Makhachev successfully defended his UFC welterweight title at UFC 330 with a hard-fought unanimous decision victory over Ian Machado Garry in the main event. Although Makhachev dominated control time with over 12 minutes of wrestling and grappling, he struggled to create genuine finish opportunities, save for a shocking head kick knockdown in the second round.

The fight proved closer than Makhachev's corner anticipated. His coaches Javier Mendez and Khabib Nurmagomedov acknowledged heading into the fifth round that Garry had secured the third round and the fourth was highly questionable. Rather than assume victory, they told Makhachev he needed to decisively win the final frame or risk losing his title. Makhachev responded decisively, scoring two more takedowns and adding three minutes of control time to secure the win.

UFC CEO Dana White publicly criticized Garry's fifth-round approach, suggesting the Irish fighter lacked "killer instinct" and could have won had he shown more aggression. However, Mendez offered a different perspective, noting that Garry's composed demeanor—shaking coaches' hands between rounds—reflected his fighting style rather than a lack of motivation. Some fighters perform better when they remain composed and confident, Mendez suggested.

With this victory, Makhachev extended his UFC win streak to 17 consecutive victories, breaking Anderson Silva's previous record. His dominant tenure has prompted Mendez to place him squarely in GOAT (greatest of all time) discussions. While Mendez stops short of crowning him the definitive GOAT, he believes one or two more impressive victories will cement that status. For now, Makhachev has entered elite company in the sport's all-time rankings.