Russian mixed martial artist Islam Makhachev defeated Irish fighter Ian Garry by unanimous decision at the UFC 330 event in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The victory secured the 34-year-old fighter his 17th consecutive win in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, breaking the long-standing promotional record set by Brazilian middleweight legend Anderson Silva, who had won 16 straight fights.
Makhachev commented on the victory in a brief statement posted to his official account on the social media platform Instagram, writing that the legacy continues.
Following the official decision inside the octagon, Makhachev's team presented a Russian flag. The national flag had the names of Makhachev, former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, and professional fighter Usman Nurmagomedov written across it.
Controversy over flag in octagon
The post-fight celebration prompted immediate criticism from Georgian UFC fighter Merab Dvalishvili, who publicly condemned the display of the Russian flag inside the octagon.
Dvalishvili said he had expected that team members would not be permitted to use the flag, noting that it is banned around the world and calling its appearance in the UFC crazy. He said he did not understand why it was allowed, explaining that while fighters may enter the arena with a flag, holding one inside the octagon is forbidden, and added that he is not permitted to display his own national flag of Georgia.
Makhachev record and career statistics
With the victory in Philadelphia, Makhachev extended his overall professional mixed martial arts record to 29 wins against a single career defeat. His 17th consecutive octagon win moves him past Silva, who previously held the record with 16 consecutive UFC victories.
Makhachev has spent much of his career training alongside Khabib Nurmagomedov, the former undefeated UFC lightweight champion, as well as Usman Nurmagomedov. The Ultimate Fighting Championship, based in the United States, is the world's premier mixed martial arts organization.
