White criticizes Machado Garry’s approach in UFC 330 title bout

By Liam Tremblay — 16 August 2026 — 3 min read

UFC CEO Dana White expressed frustration regarding Ian Machado Garry’s performance in the final round of his UFC 330 welterweight title fight against Islam Makhachev. Despite the fight being closely contested and heading into the fifth round with Makhachev ahead on the scorecards, Machado Garry reportedly opted for a cautious approach rather than attempting a late finish.

White highlighted that Machado Garry had been effective with body shots, noting that Makhachev’s right side and face showed damage. However, the decision to initiate the final round with handshakes and hugs, instead of aggressively pursuing a knockout, was a point of contention for White. He suggested that with significant stakes in the fight, Machado Garry should have attempted a more decisive move, such as a flying knee, to try and conclude the bout.

Makhachev’s Title Defence and Record

Ultimately, Makhachev secured the victory by executing a takedown and maintaining control on the ground. This allowed him to successfully defend his welterweight title for the first time. Makhachev’s win also marked a significant achievement, as he broke Anderson Silva’s record for the most consecutive wins in UFC history, reaching 17 in a row. His professional record now stands at 29-1.

White reflected on the fight, stating that if Machado Garry had approached the final round with an intent to finish, the outcome could have been different. He noted that once Makhachev secured the takedown and established control, the fight’s trajectory was set. White also acknowledged Makhachev’s effective strategy against a larger opponent with strong takedown defence, stating that Makhachev did what was necessary to win.

The UFC 330 event featured a main card that included two championship bouts. In addition to the Makhachev versus Machado Garry fight, Mackenzie Dern successfully defended the women’s strawweight belt against Gillian Robertson. The event took place at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia.

Undercard Highlights and Bonuses

The preliminary card for UFC 330 also saw several notable performances. Four fighters received a $100,000 bonus for their efforts, earning the Performance of the Night award. These fighters included Dustin Stoltzfus, Charles Johnson, Jeremiah Wells, and Jalin Turner. Additionally, four other fighters—Lucas Fernando, Neil Magny, Donte Johnson, and Esteban Ribovics—were awarded $25,000 each for finishing their bouts before the final bell.

Jalin Turner delivered a particularly emphatic performance, landing a shot that led to a flurry of strikes before the referee stopped the fight. Stoltzfus, Johnson, and Wells all secured victories via submission. Jeremiah Wells notably kicked off the early preliminary card with an upset win. Despite Myktybek Orolbai, who was considered a favourite, leading in total strikes and takedowns through two rounds, Wells secured a dramatic victory with a guillotine choke.

The preliminary card featured several bouts, including Joel Alvarez against Chidi Njokuani, Charles Johnson against Eduardo Chapolin, Donte Johnson against Eric McConico, and Tresean Gore against Vicente Luque. Early prelims included matches such as Lucas Fernando versus Rafael Tobias, Ramiz Brahimaj versus Neil Magny, and Myktybek Orolbai versus Jeremiah Wells. The event’s preliminary card coverage began at 5:30 p.m. ET.

Source: mmafighting.com