UFC 330 Staff Picks: Double Champ Makes His Return

Welterweights go to war in the main event of UFC 330, as all-time great Islam Makhachev defends his strap for the first time against Irish juggernaut Ian Machado Garry. In the second-to-last bout of the night, strawweight queen Mackenzie Dern puts her title on the line when she meets Gillian Robertson

UFC 330 Main Event

Achieving a landmark victory over Jack Della Maddalena last year to seize the 170-lb championship, Makhachev cemented his legacy as only the 11th competitor to become a two-weight UFC champion. Now on the cusp of attaining the longest win streak in company history, the man from Dagestan is looking to put on another masterclass in mixed martial arts.

Despite a controversial image in the promotion, Garry remains one of the best in his weight class, owning key wins over the likes of Geoff Neal, Carlos Prates, and Belal Muhammad. With his eyes fixated on the belt, “The Future” is one mere triumph away from calling himself one of the greatest fighters on the planet.

UFC 330 Co-Main Event

Overcoming her fair share of hurdles during her rise to the top, Dern defeated the talented Virna Jandiroba last October at UFC 321 to claim the 115-lb throne. A complete combatant who is deadly anywhere the bout goes, the multi-time Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu world champion is eager to silence any doubters this weekend at UFC 330.

Considered a standout grappler in the organization, Robertson has beaten a laundry list of premier women’s mixed martial artists, including Molly McCann, Marina Rodriguez, and Amanda Lemos. With all Canadian eyes locked on her as she makes her way to Philadelphia, “Savage” will stop at nothing to end the reign of Dern before it even has the chance to take off.

More Bouts On the UFC 330 Main Card

Rounding out the main card, lightweight finisher Jalin Turner and Kauê Fernandes lock horns. Then, Mansur Abdul-Malik battles Dustin Stoltzfus. Finally, UFC legend Edson Barboza returns to collide with Esteban Ribovics.

UFC 330 Predictions and Staff Picks

MMASucka staff picks are composed of four of the world’s leading mixed martial arts organizations: the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), the Professional Fighters League (PFL), ONE Championship (ONE FC), and Dana White’s Contender Series (DWCS).

• UFC picks will include main card fights ranging from four to six matchups per event.

• PFL picks from main cards for both pay-per-views and regular events.

• ONE FC and DWCS picks will feature all MMA fights from the event with a minimum of three matchups.

Staff picks in 2025 were won by Hank Strandberg with a record of 216-119.

Find our UFC 330 picks and fight odds below.

Staff records after UFC Vegas 120:

1. Hank Strandberg: 139-60

2. Frazer Krohn: 115-79

3. Drew Zuhosky: 99-102

4. Andrew Benjamin: 27-23

*Note – not all staff pick for every event*

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Esteban Ribovics -700

Vs.

Edson Barboza +505

LIGHTWEIGHT

Hank Strandberg: Ribovics by Unanimous Decision

Drew Zuhosky: Barboza by Unanimous Decision

Frazer Kron: Ribovics by Unanimous Decision

Staff picking Ribovics: 2

Staff picking Barboza: 1

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Mansur Abdul-Malik -650

Vs.

Dustin Stoltzfus +475

MIDDLEWEIGHT

Hank Strandberg: Abdul-Malik by First Round Knockout

Drew Zuhosky: Abdul-Malik by First Round Knockout

Frazer Kron: Abdul-Malik by Second Round Knockout

Staff picking Abdul-Malik: 3

Staff picking Stoltzfus: 0

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Jalin Turner -113

Vs.

Kaue Fernandes +107

LIGHTWEIGHT

Hank Strandberg: Turner by Unanimous Decision

Drew Zuhosky: Turner by Unanimous Decision

Frazer Krohn: Fernandes by Second Round Knockout

Staff picking Turner: 2

Staff picking Fernandes: 1

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Mackenzie Dern -190

Vs.

Gillian Robertson +165

WOMEN’S STRAWWEIGHT

Hank Strandberg: Dern by Unanimous Decision

Drew Zuhosky: Dern by Unanimous Decision

Frazer Kron: Robertson by Fourth Round Knockout

Staff picking Dern: 2

Staff picking Robertson: 1

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Islam Makhachev -362

Vs.

Ian Machado Garry +290

WELTERWEIGHT

Hank Strandberg: Makhachev by Unanimous Decision

Drew Zuhosky: Garry by Unanimous Decision

Frazer Kron: Makhachev by Unanimous Decision

Staff picking Makhachev: 2

Staff picking Garry: 1