What's Next for the Stars of UFC 330?

UFC 330 recently took place in Philadelphia, featuring a significant card with two championship bouts. The main event saw Islam Makhachev defend his welterweight title against Ian Machado Garry, while the co-main event featured Mackenzie Dern defending her strawweight title against Gillian Robertson.

Makhachev emerged victorious by decision, having secured a knockdown in the second round and successfully utilized his wrestling to control the fight. In the co-main event, Dern delivered a dominant performance against Robertson, also winning by decision to retain her title.

Following UFC 330, here's a look at potential future matchups for the fighters involved in the championship contests.

Islam Makhachev

Islam Makhachev easily defended his welterweight title, overpowering Ian Machado Garry in the main event. Makhachev dropped Garry in the second round with a powerful head kick and then leveraged his wrestling to maintain control throughout the bout.

With this victory, Makhachev has extended his consecutive win streak in the UFC and could be back in action later this year. A strong candidate for Makhachev's next fight is Carlos Prates, with this bout potentially headlining either the year-end event or the first numbered card of 2027.

Ian Machado Garry

Ian Machado Garry had an opportunity to claim the welterweight title and showed promise, particularly after a strong third round. However, he struggled to counter Makhachev's wrestling offense.

Garry will need to regroup and likely secure a couple of wins to earn another shot at the title. A logical next opponent for the Irishman would be the winner of the upcoming fight between Gabriel Bonfim and Sean Brady, scheduled for November. This timing would align well for a fight in the first quarter of 2027.

Mackenzie Dern

Mackenzie Dern showcased a commanding performance against Gillian Robertson in the co-main event of UFC 330, successfully defending her strawweight title. Dern demonstrated impressive striking and also managed to control Robertson on the ground, leading to a decisive victory.

Following her win at UFC 330, Dern's next opponent should be former champion Zhang Weili, who is expected to return to the strawweight division. Weili is still regarded by many as the top fighter in the division, making a victory over her crucial for Dern to solidify her claim as the undisputed champion.

Gillian Robertson

Gillian Robertson faced challenges in her first title fight, appearing unable to establish her striking game and finding limited success on the ground. This result was a disappointment for Robertson, who now needs to re-evaluate her strategy.

Robertson will likely need to win several fights to get back into title contention, especially given the one-sided nature of her recent bout. A sensible next matchup for her could be against Alexia Thainara, who is ranked eighth and holds an undefeated 4-0 record in the UFC. Thainara deserves a high-ranked opponent, and the winner of such a bout would likely be just one win away from a title shot.

What are your thoughts on who should be next for the stars of UFC 330?