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Makhachev vs. Garry: Welterweight Title Showdown

UFC 330 is almost here, with Makhachev vs. Garry headlining a stacked card, plus news on other events and fighter updates.

Makhachev vs. Garry: Welterweight Title Showdown

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UFC 330 is just around the corner, and the excitement is building for the welterweight title showdown between Islam Makhachev and Ian Machado Garry. We’ve got all the latest on that main event, plus other big news from the MMA world.

UFC 330: Makhachev vs. Garry

This weekend, UFC 330 is set to deliver a thrilling main event as Islam Makhachev defends his welterweight title against Ian Machado Garry. The anticipation is high, with many fans and fighters weighing in on the matchup. Heavyweight contender Tom Aspinall, for example, is backing Makhachev to win, citing his wrestling and grappling skills as key factors. He believes Makhachev’s ability to control the fight on the ground will be too much for Garry, though he acknowledges Garry’s striking prowess. The first episode of UFC 330 Embedded is already out, giving us a peek behind the scenes as both fighters prepare for what’s expected to be a “banger” of a fight.

Dern vs. Robertson at UFC 330

Another exciting bout on the UFC 330 card features Mackenzie Dern taking on Gillian Robertson. Robertson has been vocal about what she sees as a clear weakness in Dern’s game, suggesting she’s identified a path to victory. Both fighters have been featured in their own UFC 330 Countdown episode, highlighting their training and motivations leading up to this pivotal strawweight clash. It’s a fight that could have significant implications for the division, and fans are eager to see if Robertson’s strategy pays off against the formidable Dern.

Fighter Updates and Other News

In other news, former UFC champ-champ Henry Cejudo has offered a word of caution regarding the hype surrounding Usman Nurmagomedov, suggesting fans temper their expectations despite his impressive record. Meanwhile, Dakota Ditcheva, a rising star in the PFL, suffered a double hand break in her recent return to the cage, an injury that left her understandably devastated. We also saw a former UFC star suffer their fourth consecutive loss, entering the fight with a two-point deduction, which certainly didn’t help their chances. It’s a tough sport, and these stories remind us of the highs and lows fighters experience.

UFC Expansion and Veteran Farewell

Dana White has big plans for Las Vegas, with the renovation of the Meta Apex being just the beginning of what he envisions as a ‘UFC Las Vegas Fight City.’ This expansion suggests a continued commitment to making Vegas the hub of combat sports. On a more somber note, a ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ winner is set to end their 16-year Octagon run at UFC 332, marking the end of an era for a long-standing veteran. And looking ahead, UFC Edmonton is getting a significant boost with the addition of more Canadian talent, promising an exciting event for fans north of the border.

From the community

Over on r/MMA, fans are talking about this: [SPOILER] Your weekly /r/MMA recap for the week of August 02 - August 08, 2026.

Sources

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We summarize the day’s news in our own words. Full credit to the outlets below for the original reporting, click through to read their work:

Open Scoring MMA is a daily AI-produced MMA and UFC news podcast. Listen to today’s episode, read the full Feed, or get every episode by email.

Episode transcript

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Welcome to Open Scoring MMA. This is episode 54 for August 11th, 2026, your daily look at what’s happening now and next across the world of MMA and UFC. DUKE: We’ve got a massive welterweight title fight this weekend, Islam Makhachev defending his belt against Ian Machado Garry at UFC 330.
NORA: That’s right, Duke. Islam Makhachev will make his first welterweight title defense at UFC 330. He previously held the UFC lightweight title, successfully defending it a record four consecutive times before vacating it and moving up to 170 pounds. He’s putting the welterweight strap on the line against the number one ranked contender, Ian Machado Garry.
DUKE: This is a huge one, and the buzz is already building.
NORA: Absolutely. We saw Makhachev making coffee for his team, and Garry is definitely bringing that controversial energy to the build-up.
DUKE: And it’s not just the main event getting attention. The co-main event is also a title fight, with Mackenzie Dern defending her strawweight championship against Gillian Robertson.
NORA: That’s a fascinating matchup between two submission specialists. Gillian Robertson has been vocal, saying she sees a clear weakness in Mackenzie Dern’s game.
DUKE: She’s confident, then. That’s what you want to hear from a challenger.
NORA: Indeed. And the UFC 330 Countdown special has been diving deep into both of these title bouts, giving fans a real look at the stakes involved.
DUKE: Speaking of predictions, heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall has weighed in on the Makhachev versus Garry fight.
NORA: He believes it’s going to go the distance, which is an interesting take for a welterweight title fight.
DUKE: Yeah, he’s backing Islam Makhachev to win, but thinks it’ll be a longer affair than some might expect.
NORA: It shows the respect he has for Garry’s durability, even if he’s picking the champion.
DUKE: Moving on from UFC 330 for a moment, we’ve got some news out of Rizin 54 that just wrapped up in Tokyo.
NORA: Kyoma Akimoto beat Kleber Koike Erbst in the featherweight title eliminator in front of over ten thousand fans.
DUKE: That’s a big win for Akimoto, solidifying his position as a top prospect.
NORA: It certainly is. But on the flip side, we’re hearing that Patchy Mix suffered another loss.
DUKE: That’s tough to hear. He even entered that fight with a two-point deduction, which just makes things even harder.
NORA: It does. Things are reportedly going from bad to worse for him in the PFL.
DUKE: And speaking of injuries, Dakota Ditcheva suffered a double hand break in her PFL return.
NORA: She said, quote, “I took the risk in not doing the surgery because I was hoping it would hold strong, and it didn’t,” end quote. That’s a brutal setback.
DUKE: That’s a tough break, literally. You hate to see a fighter go through that, especially after trying to push through without surgery.
NORA: It speaks to the immense pressure these athletes are under to compete, even when their bodies are telling them otherwise.
DUKE: Absolutely. Now, let’s talk about some of the chatter around the sport. Daniel Cormier has been tapping the brakes on the Usman Nurmagomedov hype train.
NORA: He believes Ali Abdelaziz, Nurmagomedov’s manager, might be getting a little carried away with his assessment of Usman’s potential.
DUKE: Cormier’s usually pretty measured, so for him to call that out, it means he sees some over-the-top praise happening.
NORA: It’s a reminder that even with incredible talent, hype can sometimes outpace reality, and Cormier is always one to keep things grounded.
DUKE: We’ve also got some news about a long-time veteran, Court McGee, who’s set to end his sixteen-year Octagon run at UFC 332.
NORA: He’s a TUF winner, and he’ll be closing out his UFC career in front of his hometown crowd, which is a nice way to go out.
DUKE: That’s a great story, a true veteran getting to finish on his own terms, in front of his people. You love to see it.
NORA: It’s a testament to his longevity and dedication to the sport.
DUKE: And on the topic of the UFC’s future, Dana White has been talking about the Meta Apex renovation and what it means for a potential Las Vegas Fight City.
NORA: He told MiddleEasy, quote, “More seating. I mean, it’s all about getting more seating,” end quote. He’s clearly focused on expanding the live event experience.
DUKE: He also said, quote, “The evolution of it has been interesting because it’s not what it was intended to be,” end quote, suggesting the vision has grown.
NORA: White also mentioned, quote, “More than the expansion of the Apex, you know, we’re going to do a master plan here,” end quote, indicating a much larger project is in the works.
DUKE: It sounds like they’re thinking big, beyond just the Apex. He wants to keep finding new talent and making the live and television events better every time.
NORA: It’s an ambitious vision, and it shows the UFC’s commitment to growing the sport and its infrastructure.
DUKE: We’ve also got some good news for Canadian fans, as UFC Edmonton just got a major injection of Canadian talent.
NORA: It’s always great when the UFC loads up a card with local talent. It just adds to the atmosphere.
DUKE: It definitely makes for a more engaged and passionate crowd.
DUKE: So, Nora, the Reddit community is having a field day with the weekly r/MMA recap.
NORA: Oh, they always do. It’s a good way to catch up on everything that happened.
DUKE: Yeah, but some of the takes in there are just wild, you know?
NORA: That’s the internet for you. Everyone’s got an opinion, especially after a fight week.
DUKE: It’s just funny to see how quickly the narratives can shift from one week to the next.
NORA: It’s a constant cycle of hot takes and instant reactions. Never a dull moment.
DUKE: Never.
NORA: Exactly. It’s a good pulse check on the fan base.
DUKE: Alright, Nora, let’s get to our OSM Pick.
NORA: We’ve got Magomed Ankalaev to win, Duke. Our model puts him at about seventy-two percent.
DUKE: Seventy-two percent. That’s a strong lean.
NORA: It is. And the betting line implies around sixty-five percent, so we’re quite a bit higher than the market on this one.
DUKE: Okay, so this is a value pick for us.
NORA: Absolutely. We like it more than the line does.
DUKE: What are the top reasons the model is so confident in Ankalaev here?
NORA: Form and activity, primarily. Ankalaev’s recent performances and his consistent activity are really favoring him in the model.
DUKE: So the eye test and the numbers are aligning on this one.
NORA: They are. The model sees a clear advantage in his recent trajectory and how active he’s been in the cage.
DUKE: That makes sense. You can’t argue with consistent performance.
NORA: Exactly. He’s been putting in the work, and it’s showing up in the data.
DUKE: Alright, I’m with it. Magomed Ankalaev it is.
NORA: That’s our pick.
DUKE: And that’s all the time we have for today’s Open Scoring MMA. We’ll catch you next time.

Before you go, two quick things. Check out our free Fight Tracker at tracker dot open scoring m m a dot com, with every upcoming UFC and PFL card, live odds, and where to watch, all in one place. And follow us on YouTube, just search Open Scoring MMA, for breaking news alerts, fight breakdowns, and videos you won’t get here on the feed. That’s it for today’s Open Scoring MMA. Keep your hands up, and we’ll see you next time.