Islam Makhachev’s first welterweight title defense is less than a week away, with the Dagestani champion set to face Ian Garry in the main event of UFC 330. The Irish contender believes he has what it takes to become the first fighter to defeat Makhachev since 2015.
Garry has even outlined his ideal scenario for the fight: dominating the Dagestani for four rounds before finding a finish in the fifth. Meanwhile, the reigning 170-pound champion has revealed that he is placing a major emphasis on movement inside the Octagon, particularly after studying Garry’s elusive fighting style.
However, with Makhachev riding a 16-fight winning streak inside the Octagon, few are giving the challenger much of a chance to pull off the upset. Carlos Prates, however, is not one of them. The Brazilian is backing his former opponent to shock the world at UFC 330.
Prates, who is himself lined up for a title shot, shared his prediction during an interview with the UFC at last Saturday’s UFC Fight Night: Gamrot vs. Salkilld at the Meta Apex.
Prates declared, “UFC 330, Ian Garry is going to beat Makhachev by decision.” He added, “I don’t know if unanimous decision or split decision, but it’s going to be a decision.”
View this post on Instagram
ALSO READ: Conor McGregor Hails UFC Icons Dominick Cruz and Georges St-Pierre After Successful Knee Surgery
For the unversed, Prates previously shared the Octagon with Garry at UFC Kansas City in April 2025. Garry dominated much of the first three rounds, using his excellent movement to get in, land his shots, and escape before Prates could fire back. The Irishman’s pace began to dip in the championship rounds, allowing Prates to find more success in the fourth and fifth.
However, Garry ultimately did enough to secure the decision victory. Since then, Prates has bounced back to build momentum, earning three straight bonus-winning victories over Geoff Neal, former champion Leon Edwards, and former champion Jack Della Maddalena.
And given the Irishman’s history, Prates’ prediction of a decision victory for Garry is certainly understandable. After all, Garry’s last finish came against Daniel Rodriguez at UFC Charlotte in May 2023. The majority of his victories have also come on the scorecards, with nine of his 17 professional wins and seven of his 10 UFC victories ending in decisions.
Makhachev, meanwhile, enters UFC 330 on an incredible 16-fight winning streak, tying Anderson Silva for the longest winning streak in UFC history. The Dagestani champion has not tasted defeat since 2015 and will now look to extend that remarkable run against one of the most technically gifted challengers in the welterweight division.
Whether Garry can follow Prates’ prediction and take Makhachev the distance remains to be seen. All eyes will be on Philadelphia this Saturday as the two welterweights collide for UFC gold.
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.
