Islam Makhachev, 34, states he "does not have much time" left in the UFC as he prepares for his first welterweight title defense against Ian Machado Garry at UFC 330 in Philadelphia. The Russian, regarded as one of the greatest MMA fighters of all time, has won 17 of 18 UFC fights since his 2015 debut. A victory over Ian Machado Garry would extend his record-breaking 16-fight winning streak, surpassing Anderson Silva's 13-year-old UFC mark.

Makhachev moved up to welterweight after a historic fourth lightweight title defense and aims to fight every 3-4 months, acknowledging his age compared to younger competitors. Critics debate whether his achievements surpass teammate and coach Khabib Nurmagomedov, who retired in 2020 with a perfect 29-0 record. While Makhachev is less aggressive than Nurmagomedov, his well-rounded striking and two-division champion status—achieved by defeating Jack Della Maddalena—set him apart. Dana White praised his path to greatness, calling him a contender for the UFC GOAT status.