Following the chaos of International Fight Week, the UFC heads to Philadelphia for UFC 330 on August 15 at the Xfinity Arena. In the main event, Islam Makhachev will make the first defense of his welterweight title as the Dagestani aims to extend his remarkable winning streak and surpass Anderson Silva’s UFC record of 16 consecutive victories.
According to former welterweight champion Belal Muhammad, Makhachev is fighting for more than just another title defense. The reigning 170lbs champion enters UFC 330 with a stellar 28-1 professional record and presents Ian Garry with the toughest test of his career.
Already ranked No. 1 in the UFC’s pound-for-pound rankings, Makhachev has firmly established himself among the sport’s all-time greats. Muhammad believes that if Makhachev successfully defends his title against Garry, it will be impossible to leave him out of any serious discussion about MMA’s Mount Rushmore.
In a recent interview with MMA Junkie, Muhammad said, “It’s so crazy. It’s so easy to lose in this sport. Anything can happen. You can literally walk and slip and catch something, or walk into something.”
He then praised Makhachev’s dominance across two weight classes and emphasized how difficult it is to maintain such sustained success inside the Octagon. He said, “What he’s doing is wild, and also to do it at two weight classes is even bigger. I don’t think that people are understanding how hard it is to put that big of a streak on and get a double-digit streak in the UFC.”
Muhammad continued, “It’s one of the craziest things, and you’re fighting the best guys in the world every single time. That’s going to put him on Mt. Rushmore. At what point do you say he belongs up there? They’re not mentioning his name.”
View this post on Instagram
ALSO READ: Georges St-Pierre and Royce Gracie Pitch Bold Rule Change for BMF Title Fights After UFC 326
Although Muhammad did not reveal his personal Mount Rushmore of MMA, the debate typically includes legends such as Georges St-Pierre, Jon Jones, Anderson Silva, and Demetrious Johnson. The final spot often sparks debate, with icons like Royce Gracie, Amanda Nunes, Ronda Rousey, Conor McGregor, Khabib Nurmagomedov, and Daniel Cormier all frequently entering the conversation.
Standing in Makhachev’s way, however, is an extremely confident Ian Garry, who has repeatedly stated that he intends to shock the world at UFC 330. Muhammad is well aware of the Irishman’s abilities, having lost a unanimous decision to “The Future” in November 2025.
Having previously put together an 11-fight unbeaten run in the UFC, Muhammad understands better than most just how difficult it is to sustain the kind of dominance Makhachev has displayed. Moreover, the Dagestani has not suffered a defeat since Adriano Martins knocked him out at UFC 192 in 2015, just his second appearance in the promotion.
Before moving up to welterweight, Makhachev cemented his legacy as arguably the greatest lightweight champion in UFC history. He defended the 155-pound title a record four times against elite competition, including Alexander Volkanovski, Dustin Poirier, and Renato Moicano, before vacating the belt in pursuit of two-division glory.
That gamble paid off at UFC 322, where Makhachev outpointed Jack Della Maddalena over five rounds to capture the welterweight championship and become a two-division UFC champion.
If he successfully defends his title against Garry and extends his historic winning streak at UFC 330, the case for Makhachev as one of the greatest mixed martial artists of all time will only grow stronger.
Kshitiz Kumar Singh is a UFC Writer at NY Fights with over three years of experience in sports journalism and content creation. Known for his sharp storytelling and passion for combat sports, he has written in-depth features on stars like Brock Lesnar, Randy Couture, and Ilia Topuria. Before joining NY Fights, Kshitiz worked as a UFC Editor at EssentiallySports while currently serving as a WWE Editor at FirstSportz. His admiration for legends like Georges St-Pierre continues to inspire his detailed and engaging MMA coverage. Whether he’s covering the Octagon or the squared circle, Kshitiz is committed to delivering accurate, high-quality content. Outside the world of sports, he’s a dedicated cinephile, often found practicing monologues from his favorite Al Pacino films, combining his love for cinema with storytelling.
