TLDR
- Ian Garry lost to Islam Makhachev by unanimous decision at UFC 330 while constantly hugging and shaking hands with his opponent
- UFC president Dana White said Garry’s friendly behavior drove him crazy and showed a lack of killer instinct
- Champion Islam Makhachev told Garry after the fight: ‘This is a war, this is not a game’
- UFC Hall of Famer Michael Bisping called initiating glove touches a ‘sign of weakness’
- Makhachev’s victory extended his winning streak to a UFC-record 17 consecutive wins, breaking Anderson Silva’s mark
Sources: bjpenn.com | mmafighting.com | nypost.com
Ian Machado Garry’s overly friendly behavior during his UFC 330 title fight loss has drawn harsh criticism from UFC president Dana White, champion Islam Makhachev, and several prominent figures in mixed martial arts.
Makhachev defeated Garry by unanimous decision on Saturday in Philadelphia, successfully defending his welterweight title and extending his winning streak to a record-breaking 17 fights. But the story after the fight focused less on Makhachev’s victory and more on Garry’s constant handshakes, hugs, and friendly gestures throughout the bout.
White Says Garry Lacked Killer Instinct
At the post-fight press conference, White did not hold back his frustration with Garry’s approach.
“You don’t come out and hug and shake hands,” White said. “That shit drives me fucking crazy when there’s so much at stake.”
White believed the fight was set up for an upset, noting that Garry is a big, rangy fighter with impressive takedown defense. He said Garry had been beating Makhachev to the body and damaging the champion’s face, but failed to capitalize in the final round.
Ian Machado Garry gracious in defeat after #UFC330
📺 @paramountplus pic.twitter.com/k2QZ1cawMA
— UFC on Paramount+ (@UFConParamount) August 16, 2026
“If he had even an ounce of killer instinct in that fifth round,” White said, he might have finished the fight. White added that Garry will likely watch the fight back and wish he could do it over again.
Makhachev himself expressed confusion about Garry’s behavior during the fight. “This is a fight. This is not something we have to hug each other every round,” Makhachev said at the post-fight press conference.
The champion said he respects his opponents but felt Garry went too far. “I respect him. He’s a good guy. Very kind. But this is a war,” Makhachev said. “This is a fight. This is not a game.”
UFC Hall of Famer Calls It Weakness
UFC Hall of Famer Michael Bisping also criticized Garry’s actions in a YouTube video. The former welterweight champion and current commentator was puzzled by Garry’s decision to be friendly at moments when he needed urgency.
“It’s mixed martial arts, it’s the UFC, we’re trying to knock each other out,” Bisping said. “You don’t need to high five at the start of every single goddamn round.”
Bisping went further, suggesting that initiating glove touches shows weakness. “What the person that’s trying to initiate the glove touch, they are saying, ‘Hey, listen, take it easy on me,'” he explained. “It is a sign of weakness.”
Former UFC champion Belal Muhammad also questioned Garry’s friendliness during the fight. The Irish fighter was seen dapping up Makhachev when the champion was down late in the bout.
Former two-division champion Henry Cejudo joined the criticism as well. He said Garry failed to sell the UFC 330 headliner and doubts UFC executives will want him as a champion.
Despite the criticism, Garry showed solid technical skills during the fight. He displayed strong takedown defense and prevented Makhachev from securing any submission attempts throughout the 25-minute battle.
Makhachev also accused Garry of delivering a hard head butt in the fourth round that may have broken his nose. “He gave me a very hard head butt. It’s OK. Hard fight,” the champion said.
The win improved Makhachev’s record to 29-1, with his only UFC loss coming in 2015 against Adriano Martins. Garry dropped to 17-2, with losses in two of his last four fights.
