Ahead of UFC 330 in Philadelphia, the official weigh-in took place, featuring the final face-off between Russian Islam Makhachev and Irishman Ian Machado Garry, as reported by infohub.kz.
The two will headline the event in Philadelphia. For Makhachev, this marks his first title defense in the welterweight division (up to 77.1 kg). Both fighters made weight at the official weigh-in, after which they took part in the ceremonial face-off in front of the audience.
Makhachev and Machado Garry stepped onto the stage and engaged in a stare-down that passed without incident. The Irishman, addressing the crowd, said: "Tomorrow I have the opportunity to fight the recognized best fighter on the planet to become world champion. When I beat him, you will have no excuses. You will acknowledge that Ian Machado Garry is great. And this will be the beginning of my dominant legacy. I want everyone to remember what's at stake tomorrow. The two best fighters in the history of the sport will collide in the octagon. You are very lucky to witness greatness in the flesh tomorrow."
Makhachev then took the mic. If he defeats Machado Garry, he will set a UFC record for consecutive wins, currently at 16, tied with Brazil's Anderson Silva. "He [Garry] is just my next target. I'm ready and will definitely make everyone happy tomorrow," Makhachev said.
Earlier, the Russian was the UFC lightweight champion. For Machado Garry, this is his first title shot in his career.