Garry calls his shot against Makhachev

A quiet week for live cards put the spotlight on August's UFC 330, where Ian Machado Garry promised a fourth-round demolition of Islam Makhachev and the GOAT set weighed in. Elsewhere, Conor McGregor's UFC 329 return drew closer and lost a prelim to injury, while Dustin Poirier's post-retirement arrest and Ilia Topuria's recovery kept the sport's human side in view.

Garry vows four rounds of domination before finishing Makhachev at UFC 330

Welterweight challenger Ian Machado Garry (17-1) says he wants no early knockout of Islam Makhachev at UFC 330 on Aug. 15 in Philadelphia, instead predicting a fourth-round finish so there are no excuses. Makhachev (28-1) is tied with Anderson Silva for the longest win streak in UFC history at 16 and would break the record with a win. Jon Jones and Georges St-Pierre both backed the champion's grappling edge, with GSP floating an eventual move to middleweight in pursuit of a three-division milestone no fighter has reached.

Why it matters: The main event pits pound-for-pound king against a rising striker, and Makhachev is one win from standing alone atop the UFC's all-time streak list.

McGregor's UFC 329 return loses a prelim as Ewing withdraws

With Conor McGregor's five-year comeback against Max Holloway set for July 11 at T-Mobile Arena, UFC 329 lost a bout when rising bantamweight Ethyn Ewing (10-2) pulled out of his matchup with unbeaten Farid Basharat (15-0) due to an undisclosed injury; the promotion is seeking a short-notice replacement. Holloway, coming off his BMF loss to Charles Oliveira, opened as better than a 5-1 favorite in the welterweight-contested rematch, though the line has tightened.

Why it matters: It's the biggest draw of International Fight Week and a genuine test of whether a nearly-38-year-old McGregor can still hang with elite competition after half a decade out.

Hearn and Bisping trade shots over Aspinall's pay and stalled return

Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn, now managing UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall, accused Michael Bisping of being on the UFC payroll and unwilling to speak honestly about fighter pay, claiming he was stunned by what Aspinall is being offered for a Ciryl Gane rematch and citing a $60 million pot. Bisping fired back on his podcast, saying he never discussed Aspinall's compensation and that Hearn is muddying the waters amid his feud with Dana White. Aspinall, sidelined since his no-contest eye injury against Gane last October, has been cleared to return to sparring and is targeting a comeback later this year.

Why it matters: The Hearn-White proxy war and the heavyweight title logjam are colliding, and it highlights how a stalled unification bout keeps an entire division frozen.

Topuria surfaces in public for first time since Gaethje beatdown

Ilia Topuria (17-1) made his first public appearance roughly two weeks after his corner-stoppage TKO loss to Justin Gaethje at UFC Freedom 250, which cost him the lightweight title and cost him orbital fractures and a broken nose. Photos show swelling and bruising largely healed, though he wore sunglasses over the injured eye. He is under a 180-day medical suspension and isn't expected back before 2027. Merab Dvalishvili argued Topuria fought effectively blind after eye pokes, while Bryce Mitchell said pride, not a lack of ability, undid him.

Why it matters: One of the sport's biggest stars had his aura punctured, and the eye-poke controversy adds fuel to a rematch Topuria has already promised to chase.

Peers rally around Poirier after post-retirement arrest

Following Dustin Poirier's arrest for public drunkenness after an altercation at Atlanta's airport, the retired interim lightweight champion admitted he's struggling and needs help. Matt Brown urged fans not to let one night define Poirier and offered advice on adjusting to life after fighting, while American Top Team's Dalton Rosta suggested CTE could be a factor and cautioned against piling on. Poirier posted that he is working on himself.

Why it matters: A beloved veteran's public struggle reopens the conversation about fighter mental health and the difficult transition out of the sport.

Chimaev demands immediate Strickland rematch; champ says earn it

Khamzat Chimaev, who dropped the middleweight title and his unbeaten record to Sean Strickland by split decision at UFC 328 in May, is lobbying for an immediate rematch after initially saying he'd move to light heavyweight. 'Accept the fight, don't run, I'll beat you anyway,' Chimaev wrote. Strickland, currently in Florida and eyeing a December return, has said Chimaev must string together wins first, insisting the rankings should matter.

Why it matters: It sets up a defining question at 185 pounds: does a razor-thin title loss earn Chimaev a direct do-over, or does he go to the back of the line?

Dern vs. Robertson set for UFC 330 as challenger dismisses champ's grappling edge

Strawweight champion Mackenzie Dern (16-5) makes her first title defense against Gillian Robertson (17-8) in the UFC 330 co-main on Aug. 15, a matchup pairing the promotion's most accoladed jiu-jitsu champion with its all-time women's leader in submissions and finishes. Robertson, riding a five-fight streak, argued Dern's pure-grappling résumé means little in MMA and accused her of underestimating her; she also acknowledged Zhang Weili deserved the shot first. Dern opened as only a slight favorite.

Why it matters: It's a rare title fight between two elite submission artists, and Zhang Weili's absence from the picture leaves the strawweight pecking order in flux.

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