By Gus "Walk-Off" Fields
Islam Makhachev didn't just beat Ian Machado Garry at UFC 330 in Philadelphia Saturday night — he wrote himself into the record book. The 34-year-old improved to 29-1 with a decision over Garry in his welterweight title defense, according to ESPN, surpassing middleweight legend Anderson Silva's long-standing UFC record of 16 consecutive wins. Makhachev's streak now stands at 17, a number that puts him in the conversation for greatest fighter the promotion has produced.
On the same card, Mackenzie Dern picked up a dominant title defense of her own, setting up her next matchup, ESPN reported. Al Jazeera's account of the Garry fight echoed the record-book significance, calling it Makhachev's 17th straight UFC victory.
Away from the octagon in Philly but very much in the same sport, Claressa Shields reminded the boxing world who runs the middleweight division. Shields rolled to a dominant TKO win over Kaye Scott Saturday night to reclaim the WBC and WBA middleweight championships, according to ESPN — a statement return to the top after previously ceding ground in the weight class.
Two different combat sports, two fighters underlining the same point: at the top level, dominance doesn't happen by accident. Makhachev's streak was built fight by fight over years; Shields' reclamation was finished in a single brutal night. Different paths, same destination — back on top, with the titles to prove it.
— Compiled from reporting by ESPN and Al Jazeera.
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