TLDR
- Ian Machado Garry will fight welterweight champion Islam Makhachev at UFC 330 on August 15 in Philadelphia
- Makhachev enters the fight with a 16-fight UFC winning streak tied with Anderson Silva for longest in company history
- Garry believes his height, speed, and takedown defense give him advantages Makhachev hasn’t faced before
- The Irish fighter says he wants Makhachev to take him down to prove he can beat the champion at his own game
- Garry holds a 10-1 UFC record with recent wins over Carlos Prates and former champion Belal Muhammad
Sources: sports.yahoo.com | mmajunkie.usatoday.com | nyfights.com
Ian Machado Garry will challenge Islam Makhachev for the welterweight championship at UFC 330 on August 15 at the Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia. The fight was announced last Wednesday after months of rumors.
Makhachev enters the bout as a heavy favorite and the number one pound-for-pound fighter in the UFC. The Dagestani champion is riding a 16-fight winning streak inside the Octagon, tied with Anderson Silva for the longest in company history.
The champion hasn’t lost a fight since 2015. He defended the lightweight title four times against elite competition including Alexander Volkanovski, Dustin Poirier, and Renato Moicano before moving up to welterweight.
Makhachev captured the welterweight title at UFC 322 with a five-round decision victory over Jack Della Maddalena in November 2025. His wrestling and ground game completely shut down Della Maddalena in that fight.
Ian Machado Garry breaks down how the fight with Islam Makhachev finally came together:
"I was told I was next in January. There were talks about April. Then there was an official offer put out for May 9, to which he turned down.
It was, no, no, no… They spoke to me about how… pic.twitter.com/QTPM0vkSEn
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) June 22, 2026
Garry’s Confidence Despite Long Odds
In a video posted to his Instagram account, Garry acknowledged the challenge ahead but expressed complete confidence in his abilities. “I don’t think Islam has a lot of weaknesses,” Garry said.
The Irish fighter pointed to several advantages he believes he holds. “He’s never fought someone as long and tall as me,” Garry said. “He’s not fought someone as fast as me.”
Garry also highlighted his distance management, boxing skills, head movement, and takedown defense as tools Makhachev hasn’t encountered before. The 26-year-old holds a 10-1 record inside the UFC.
His only loss came against undefeated Shavkat Rakhmonov in December 2024. Garry became the first fighter to take Rakhmonov the distance and avoid being finished.
Since that defeat, Garry has won consecutive fights against Carlos Prates and former welterweight champion Belal Muhammad. He made beating Muhammad look easy according to observers.
Planning to Beat Makhachev at His Own Game
What makes Garry’s approach interesting is his desire to challenge Makhachev in the champion’s strongest areas. “He might get me down,” Garry admitted. “I hope he does.”
The Irish contender wants to prove he can defend Makhachev’s submissions and get back to his feet. “I want to prove to the world that I can beat him in his own world,” Garry said.
Garry dismissed Makhachev’s credentials as an internationally recognized master of Sambo. “I don’t care how long he’s trained in that area,” he said.
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The challenger made a strong prediction about the outcome. “I’m going to bounce him on his skull,” Garry said. “I’m going to take his title. I’m going to take his throne.”
Garry sees himself as the man who will end Makhachev’s historic run. “I’m going to finish that consecutive win streak,” he said. “And I’ll always be the guy that stopped history from happening.”
The fight adds another chapter to the Ireland versus Dagestan rivalry in MMA. Garry believes he can succeed where Conor McGregor and Paul Hughes fell short by becoming the first Irish fighter to defeat a Dagestani superstar in the UFC.
Garry has built his career on proving doubters wrong. No one expected him to compete with Rakhmonov, yet he took “Nomad” to the limit over five rounds.
Recent UFC history shows upsets can happen at any time. Justin Gaethje recently upset Ilia Topuria, and Sean Strickland defeated Khamzat Chimaev in shocking fashion.
Makhachev enters as the favorite, but Garry’s recent performances and confidence have positioned him as a dangerous challenger. The welterweight title fight headlines UFC 330 on August 15 with the event streaming on Paramount+.
