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Makhachev Breaks Records, Volkanovski Headlines UFC 333

Makhachev sets a new UFC record for consecutive wins, while Alexander Volkanovski will headline UFC 333 against Movsar Evloev.

Makhachev Breaks Records, Volkanovski Headlines UFC 333

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UFC 330 delivered some big moments, with Islam Makhachev making history and other fighters making their mark. Plus, we’ve got a look ahead at a massive UFC 333 card that’s shaping up to be epic.

Makhachev Breaks UFC Record

Islam Makhachev cemented his legacy at UFC 330, reportedly securing his seventeenth consecutive UFC victory. This win, we’re hearing, pushed him past Anderson Silva’s previous record of sixteen straight wins, making him the sole record holder for most consecutive victories in UFC history. While Makhachev ultimately controlled the fight, Garry pushed him to his limits, even after a well-timed head kick knockdown. It wasn’t an easy night for the welterweight champion, but he did enough to earn a unanimous decision win and retain his title.

Makhachev Eyes Next Opponent

Following his record-breaking win at UFC 330, Islam Makhachev is already looking ahead to his next challenge. When asked about potential opponents, Makhachev weighed in on the debate between Carlos Prates and Michael Morales, who reportedly argued in the crowd. Makhachev indicated that Prates is more deserving of a shot, citing his activity in the cage. “If you ask me today, Shavkat (Rakhmonov) is not fighting, Prates still fighting, still active,” Makhachev said. “Morales also is good, but I don’t remember the last time he fought. If you ask who is more deserving, I think Carlos Prates.”

Volkanovski vs. Evloev Headlines UFC 333

Get ready for some serious action in Abu Dhabi, because UFC 333 is shaping up to be a monster card. Featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski is set to defend his title against the undefeated Movsar Evloev in the main event. This highly anticipated matchup will take place at the Etihad Arena. Fans have been eager to see Volkanovski back in action, and facing an unbeaten contender like Evloev promises a thrilling title fight.

Stacked UFC 333 Card

Beyond the Volkanovski-Evloev headliner, UFC 333 is bringing even more heat with a bantamweight title fight. We’re hearing Petr Yan will reportedly put a title on the line against Merab Dvalishvili. This card is looking incredibly stacked, with what are reportedly two title fights announced, guaranteeing a night of high-stakes action for fight fans. It’s clear the UFC is pulling out all the stops for this event in the desert.

Magny Joins Elite Company

UFC 330 also saw Neil Magny achieve a significant milestone in his career. He joined Charles Oliveira in a rare group of fighters within the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Word is, Magny continues to build an impressive resume in the promotion. This achievement further solidifies his place among the UFC’s most consistent and enduring competitors.

From the community

Over on r/MMA, fans are talking about this: [Official] UFC 330: Makhachev vs. Machado Garry - Live Discussion Thread.

Sources

Every source behind today's roundup (14)

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 59 for August 16th, 2026, your daily look at what’s happening now and next across the world of MMA and UFC. DUKE: Islam Makhachev just cemented his legacy, breaking Anderson Silva’s all-time record for consecutive UFC wins at UFC 330. Seventeen in a row, Nora. That’s just incredible.
NORA: It is, Duke. He outlasted Ian Machado Garry in the main event in Philadelphia, securing that unanimous decision victory.
DUKE: And he had to work for it, too. I mean, a lot of people thought this would be a more straightforward night for Makhachev, but Garry really pushed him.
NORA: He did. Makhachev was pushed to the limit in what some are calling his first welterweight title defense, even though he ultimately controlled Garry with his elite wrestling and that well-timed head kick knockdown.
DUKE: That head kick was a game-changer. It really showed that even when he’s tested, Makhachev has those moments of brilliance. The pros were reacting to it, too. I saw one quote floating around, ‘Ian Garry would have won if he ate a steak.‘
NORA: Right. It wasn’t an easy night at the office for Makhachev, but he did enough to retain the title. And let’s not forget Mackenzie Dern also picked up a dominant title defense on that same card.
DUKE: Absolutely. Dern looked fantastic. But back to Makhachev, he’s now sitting at twenty-nine and one, and he’s really solidifying his place as one of the greatest ever. That’s a huge statement.
NORA: It is. And it puts Ian Machado Garry in some rare company, being the one to push Makhachev that hard.
DUKE: Yeah, it definitely raises Garry’s stock, even in a loss. It showed he can hang with the best. But Makhachev is already looking ahead, and he’s got a name in mind for his next opponent.
NORA: He does. Makhachev was asked about it, especially after Carlos Prates and Michael Morales were arguing in the crowd at UFC 330.
DUKE: And he didn’t hesitate, did he? He picked Prates.
NORA: That’s right. He told Bloody Elbow, quote, “Morales also is good, but I don’t remember the last time he fought. If you ask who is more deserving, I think Carlos Prates.” End quote.
DUKE: That’s a clear statement from the champ. He wants the active contender. It makes sense, you want to fight someone who’s been proving themselves recently.
NORA: It does. And it sets up an interesting potential matchup for the welterweight division.
DUKE: Speaking of interesting matchups, we’ve got some massive news for UFC 333. Alexander Volkanovski is defending his featherweight title against the undefeated Movsar Evloev.
NORA: That’s right. That’s going to be the main event at UFC 333, which we’re hearing will be inside Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi.
DUKE: Violence is coming to the desert, Nora. This is a huge fight. Volkanovski against an undefeated contender like Evloev, that’s a banger.
NORA: It absolutely is. And that’s not all for UFC 333. We’re also getting Petr Yan putting his bantamweight title on the line in a trilogy bout with Merab Dvalishvili.
DUKE: Yan versus Merab three? That’s another massive fight. That card is shaping up to be absolutely stacked. Two title fights on one night, in Abu Dhabi.
NORA: It’s a huge announcement. Both Volkanovski and Yan will be putting their titles on the line, and it’s going to be a must-watch event.
DUKE: I mean, the featherweight division has been on fire, and Evloev is a legitimate threat. And then the bantamweight trilogy, that’s just pure fireworks.
NORA: It is. And it’s great to see these big fights getting booked. It really sets the stage for the rest of the year.
DUKE: Moving on from the big title fights, we had a pretty significant milestone at UFC 330 that might have flown under the radar a bit. Neil Magny joined Charles Oliveira in some rare UFC company.
NORA: He did. Magny added another milestone to his career, which is impressive given his longevity and consistency in the octagon.
DUKE: It just speaks to his durability and how long he’s been at the top of his game. Not many fighters can say they’ve achieved what he has.
NORA: Absolutely. It’s a testament to his dedication and skill to be in that kind of company.
DUKE: And then we had Jalin Turner making quick work of Kaue Fernandes in his second UFC bout since a brief retirement. He paid tribute to Edson Barboza after the fight.
NORA: He did. Turner looked sharp, and it’s good to see him back in action and performing well after his short break.
DUKE: It’s always interesting when a fighter steps away and then comes back. Sometimes they look even better, sometimes it’s a struggle. Turner definitely looked like he hadn’t missed a beat.
NORA: He certainly didn’t. And that tribute to Barboza shows a lot of respect, which is always good to see in the sport.
DUKE: Alright, Nora, before we get into the next set of fights, we’ve got to settle up on our predictions from UFC 330. I had Islam Makhachev to win, but I thought it would be a longer affair than some expected.
NORA: And he did win, Duke, but it went the distance. So you were right on the longer affair part.
DUKE: And that didn’t happen.
NORA: No, it didn’t. He won by decision. So that prediction was off.
DUKE: And you, Nora, you said a finish would be a huge statement in a new division for him.
NORA: I did. And while it was a dominant performance, it wasn’t a finish. So my prediction there was also incorrect.
DUKE: So we both got a little bit of a mixed bag on that one. The model, though, the model’s still out there doing its thing. How’s it looking after UFC 330?
DUKE: Still chasing that market, huh? But the value picks, how are those doing?
DUKE: Alright, so the model’s still finding those gems. That’s good to hear. Now, let’s talk about what’s coming up this week. We’ve got Dana White’s Contender Series, Season Ten, Week Two, on August eighteenth.
NORA: That’s right. We’re hearing about some potential matchups for that card.
DUKE: Then later in the week, on August twenty-second, we have UFC Fight Night: Hernandez versus Rodrigues.
NORA: We’re hearing about some potential matchups for that card as well.
DUKE: Another Contender Series card on August twenty-fifth, Season Ten, Week Three.
NORA: We’re hearing about some potential matchups for that card.
DUKE: And then a big one on August twenty-ninth, UFC Fight Night: Nurmagomedov versus Song.
NORA: We’re hearing about some potential matchups for that card.
DUKE: And then to round out the week, Dana White’s Contender Series, Season Ten, Week Four, on September first.
NORA: We’re hearing about some potential matchups for that card.
DUKE: That’s a packed schedule, Nora. A lot of action coming our way.
NORA: It is.
DUKE: Alright, Nora, let’s get to our OSM Pick for the week. We’ve got Song Yadong versus Umar Nurmagomedov.
NORA: We do. And our system is picking Umar Nurmagomedov to win.
DUKE: Okay, so our guy. What’s the percentage looking like?
NORA: Eighty-one percent.
DUKE: Eighty-one percent. That’s a strong call. How does that compare to the market?
NORA: The betting line implies about seventy-nine percent, so we’re actually higher than the market on this one.
DUKE: Higher than the market. Okay, so we’re feeling pretty confident about Umar here. What are the top reasons?
NORA: Style favors Nurmagomedov, and form favors Nurmagomedov.
DUKE: So the model’s seeing a clear path to victory for him, both in how he matches up and how he’s been performing.
NORA: Exactly. He’s been looking incredibly sharp, and his style is a difficult puzzle for many in the division.
DUKE: I mean, you look at his grappling, his control, it’s just on another level.
NORA: It really is. And the model’s picking up on that consistency and dominance.
DUKE: So, a strong pick for Umar Nurmagomedov. I like it. The Reddit community, by the way, is still buzzing about UFC 330. The live discussion thread was absolutely wild during the Makhachev versus Garry fight.
NORA: Oh, I can imagine. There was a lot to talk about in that one.
DUKE: Absolutely. It was a fight that really got people talking, and the community on Reddit was definitely fired up.
NORA: They always are for the big ones.
DUKE: Alright, that’s all the time we have for today. Thanks for tuning in to Open Scoring MMA.
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