UFC 330 heads to the Infinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia this weekend, headlined by Islam Makhachev and Ian Garry in a welterweight championship bout, where the champion brings a 16-fight UFC winning streak into a matchup against one of the division's most technical fighters. In the co-main, Mackenzie Dern attempts to defend her title for the first time against Gillian Robertson. The action doesn’t stop there, with several other intriguing bouts on the rest of the main card and undercard.
We take a look at my best bets in the two title fights and another on the main card below!
UFC 330 Preview & Betting Tips
Islam Makhachev vs. Ian Garry
UFC welterweight champion and number one pound-for-pound fighter in the world, Islam Makhachev, returns to the Octagon for the first time in 2026, and with a win, he will break Anderson Silva’s record for most consecutive victories, a record that has stood for more than a decade. To do so, he has to beat Ian Garry this weekend.
But Garry's length, footwork, and distance management make him a far from straightforward opponent to face. The 28-year-old came into the UFC with huge expectations that he could be the man to do what his Irish counterpart couldn’t: beat a Dagestani fighter in a title fight. After seven straight wins, Garry ran into Shavkat Rakhmonov, who handed him his first professional loss. Since then, he has bounced back with two wins to get his title shot.
Irrespective of what you think of Garry, he has a genuine chance to win this fight. He has been dominant in the UFC without being a finisher. In fact, his last six fights have gone the distance, and he’s won five. He also is going to be very hard for Makhachev to take down and impose his smothering style on.
Garry has a strong judo background, an excellent jab and a four-inch reach advantage, which gives him all the tools to frustrate Makhachev and control the centre of the Octagon. He is also incredibly long and lanky and understands range well. This was perfectly illustrated against Michael ‘Venom’ Page, arguably the best striker in the UFC. Garry is also a perennial round winner, often doing just enough to get the 10-9 round.
Where this fight is tough to bet, however, is that Makhachev is still the rightful favourite but grossly overvalued. He isn't on the brink of 17 straight wins by pure luck. Makhachev is a pure nightmare on the ground and has developed a strong stand-up game. But at the odds, the side to be on is Garry's.
I believe if Garry fights behind his jab and doesn't settle on the bottom if he is taken down that he has a decent chance at winning this fight.
Therefore, I will suggest a small stake on Garry by decision. But I advise anyone tailing me to wait until the morning of the fight, as I expect more money to continue to come in for the champ.
Ian Garry to win by decision
$6.50 (1 Unit)
Mackenzie Dern vs. Gillian Robertson
Mackenzie Dern puts her strawweight title on the line against fellow submission specialist Gillian Robertson in the co-main event. This is a peculiar fight where neither is known for their striking, but of the pair I favour Dern to control the centre and land the more telling shots.
I expect Robertson to likely look to get top control time from half guard. But that is incredibly dangerous against a BJJ whiz such as Dern. No position on the ground is safe against a woman who is without a doubt the best female submission artist to ever enter the Octagon. I expect this to play out largely on the feet for that reason, and it could be a hard watch for fans. But ultimately wherever it goes, I’d bank on Dern to come out on top. So confidently back the Brazilian to get her hand raised.
Mackenzie Dern to win
$1.45 (4 Units)
Mansur Abdul-Malik vs. Dustin Stoltzfus
Mansur Abdul-Malik hits like a truck, and he faces the very hittable Dustin Stoltzfus this weekend. Abdul-Malik is a heavy favourite, but I'd argue he should be even shorter, against a fighter who is moderately durable with a savvy submission game. That won’t help him when he is copping bombs from the outset. Back Abdul-Malik to stop him in brutal fashion, plain and simple.
Mansur Abdul-Malik to win by KO/TKO
$2.00 (2 Units)
