Less than a week ago, Islam Makhachev’s first welterweight title defense was officially announced for UFC 330, with the Dagestani champion set to face Ian Machado Garry in the main event. The matchup had been heavily rumored for days before the UFC finally confirmed that the two will square off at the Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia on August 15. Given how long Garry has been visualizing this opportunity, confidence is certainly not in short supply. The Irish contender firmly believes he has the tools to shock the world and become the first man to defeat Makhachev since 2015.
What makes Garry’s confidence even more intriguing is that he believes he can challenge the champion in the very areas where Makhachev has built his legacy. On August 15, Garry and Makhachev will reignite the long-standing Ireland vs. Dagestan rivalry inside the Octagon. And according to the Irishman, he can succeed where Conor McGregor and Paul Hughes fell short by securing his nation’s first victory over a Dagestani superstar on MMA’s biggest stage.
Speaking in a video posted to his Instagram account, Garry said, “I don’t think Islam has a lot of weaknesses. He’s never fought someone as long and tall as me. He’s not fought someone as fast as me. He’s not fought someone who has the distance management, the boxing capabilities, the head movement that I do, but also the takedown defense. He might get me down. I hope he does, ’cause I want to prove to the world that he can’t submit me.”
The Irishman went on to explain that he wants to show the world that Makhachev is not invincible and that he is capable of matching the champion in his own domain. He added, “I want to prove to the world that I can get back up. I want to prove to the world that I can beat him in his own world. I don’t care how long he’s trained in that area. I don’t care if he’s an internationally recognized master of Sambo or not.”
Garry also made a bold prediction about the outcome of the fight, claiming that his entire career has been built on defying expectations and ending historic runs. With Makhachev riding one of the most dominant stretches in modern MMA, the Irishman believes UFC 330 will be remembered as the night he halted the champion’s reign. He concluded with, “I’m going to bounce him on his skull. I’m going to take his title. I’m going to take his throne. And I’m going to finish that consecutive win streak. And I’ll always be the guy that stopped history from happening.”
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While Garry’s confidence is admirable, there is a reason why many view his prediction as a monumental challenge. Makhachev is widely regarded as the best fighter in the world today and currently sits atop the UFC’s pound-for-pound rankings. The Dagestani is riding a remarkable 16-fight winning streak, tied with Anderson Silva for the longest in UFC history, and has not tasted defeat since 2015.
Moreover, Makhachev’s legacy is already secure. He established himself as one of the greatest lightweights of all time by recording a division-record four successful title defenses against elite competition, including Alexander Volkanovski, Dustin Poirier, and Renato Moicano. He then vacated the 155lbs championship to pursue a second title and captured welterweight gold at UFC 322, earning a dominant five-round decision victory over Jack Della Maddalena in November last year.
On the other side, Garry enters the biggest fight of his career with plenty of momentum of his own. The Irishman holds a 10-1 record inside the Octagon, with his lone defeat coming against the undefeated Shavkat Rakhmonov in December 2024. Although Garry came up short that night, he accomplished something no previous opponent had managed: becoming the first fighter to go the distance with the Kazakh phenom and avoid being finished.
Since then, Garry has strengthened his case as a legitimate title challenger with consecutive victories over Carlos Prates and former welterweight champion Belal Muhammad. Those performances, combined with his unwavering self-belief, have positioned him as one of the most dangerous contenders in the division. To add to that, recent UFC history has also shown that no champion is invincible.
With Ilia Topuria and Khamzat Chimaev both suffering shocking defeats at UFC Freedom 250 and UFC 328, respectively, the landscape of MMA has once again proven how quickly expectations can be overturned. As a result, despite Makhachev entering UFC 330 as a significant favorite, dismissing Garry’s bold predictions outright could prove to be a mistake when the two finally meet on August 15.
Kshitiz Kumar Singh is a UFC Writer at NY Fights with over three years of experience in sports journalism and content creation. Known for his sharp storytelling and passion for combat sports, he has written in-depth features on stars like Brock Lesnar, Randy Couture, and Ilia Topuria. Before joining NY Fights, Kshitiz worked as a UFC Editor at EssentiallySports while currently serving as a WWE Editor at FirstSportz. His admiration for legends like Georges St-Pierre continues to inspire his detailed and engaging MMA coverage. Whether he’s covering the Octagon or the squared circle, Kshitiz is committed to delivering accurate, high-quality content. Outside the world of sports, he’s a dedicated cinephile, often found practicing monologues from his favorite Al Pacino films, combining his love for cinema with storytelling.