TLDR
- Islam Makhachev says Ian Garry looks bad in interviews and should focus more on training
- Champion suggests someone in Garry’s house controls what he says during media appearances
- Garry earned his title shot with wins over Belal Muhammad and Carlos Prates
- Makhachev dismissed comparisons to Khabib vs McGregor rivalry, calling Garry ‘Ireland guy from AliExpress’
- The two fighters will meet at UFC 330 in Philadelphia on August 15, 2026
Sources: mmafighting.com
Islam Makhachev says Ian Machado Garry should spend less time doing interviews and more time in the gym ahead of their UFC 330 title fight on August 15.
The welterweight champion criticized Garry’s recent media appearances in an interview with MMA Junkie. “I saw a couple of his interviews, honestly he looks very bad in these interviews,” Makhachev said.
Makhachev suggested Garry’s interview responses seem scripted. “It looks like somebody in the house controls him and tells him what to say in the interview,” he said.
The champion also questioned Garry’s approach to promoting fights. “In the fight week, he always tries to be the bad guy, but he acts like he’s a bad guy,” Makhachev said.
Garry’s Path to Title Shot
Garry earned his championship opportunity with back-to-back wins over former champion Belal Muhammad and top contender Carlos Prates. The 28-year-old Irishman has compiled a 10-1 record since joining the UFC in 2021.
His only loss came against Shavkat Rakhmonov. Garry is known for his confidence and has repeatedly stated he plans to finish Makhachev.
🤔Ian Garry says if women ruled the world everything would be better
“If the world was run by women, we’d all live in a better world. If we just listened to them and let them takeover, it would be an easier world”
via High Performance YT pic.twitter.com/lhcmA0ibkC
— Dovy🔌 (@DovySimuMMA) July 22, 2026
The challenger has been active in media appearances leading up to the fight. His comments have drawn criticism from fans and fellow fighters, including UFC Belgrade star Uros Medic, who took issue with Garry suggesting the world would be better if women ran it.
Makhachev dismissed Garry’s predictions of victory. “Everybody talking. Everybody say, ‘I’m going to knock out Islam, I’m going to submit Islam,’ but when fight begins, they all forgot what they said,” the champion said while laughing.
Dagestan vs Ireland Comparison
Some fans have compared the upcoming fight to the rivalry between Makhachev’s mentor Khabib Nurmagomedov and Irish fighter Conor McGregor. Makhachev trained closely with Nurmagomedov, who retired undefeated in 2020.
Makhachev rejected the comparison with a sharp comment. “This is Dagestan vs. Ireland guy from AliExpress,” he said.
The champion is currently ranked as MMA Fighting’s No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter. He has successfully defended his title multiple times and remains undefeated in his recent fights.
Garry has made no secret of his confidence heading into the bout. The Irish fighter has told media outlets he believes he can beat Makhachev both standing and on the ground.
Makhachev expressed confidence about his opponent’s ground skills. “Everybody knows his ground game,” he said.
The UFC 330 main event will take place at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia. The event is scheduled for August 15, 2026.
