Islam Makhachev is set to defend his welterweight gold against Ian Garry at UFC 330 in Philadelphia. While most of the chatter heading into fight week has focused on the Dagestani’s legacy and whether a win over the Irishman would further cement his place among the all-time greats, there is another possibility that has largely flown under the radar.
August 15 could potentially be the final time fans see Makhachev inside the Octagon. At least, Joe Rogan thinks it is a possibility. While the UFC commentator would love to see the 170-pound champion continue defending his title against contenders such as Carlos Prates and Michael Morales, he believes Makhachev has already done enough to secure his place among the sport’s greats.
On JRE MMA Show #184, the veteran analyst said, “We’ll see what happens. Islam may retire. He may retire. He’s done a lot. He’s competed in two different weight classes and won world championships in two different weight classes.”
Rogan also floated the possibility of Makhachev eventually following in the footsteps of his longtime friend and former teammate, Khabib Nurmagomedov, who retired after UFC 254 in 2020 and went on to focus on coaching.
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Rogan added, “If he beats Ian, if he submits Ian and says, ‘I’ve had enough, I’m going to do what Khabib did, and I’m going to coach now,’ I could see that. And then I could see Morales and Prates for the undisputed title.”
Makhachev, however, has not indicated that he is ready to call it a career just yet. In fact, a recent interview with Demetrious Johnson offered some insight into what could be next for the 34-year-old.
Appearing on the flyweight legend’s YouTube channel, Makhachev said he would be open to fighting again later this year if he comes out of UFC 330 without any injuries.
Despite previously being criticized for inactivity, the Dagestani champion insists he wants to fight as often as possible. He knows he is entering the later stages of his career and wants to make the most of the time he has left.
He said, “I’m not like young guy. Now it’s better for me to fight every three to four months… I understand I’m not 28 years old; I’m 34 right now. And I don’t have much time. Sometimes it’s not going like you want in the UFC. You want to fight after three or four months, but it’s not according to your wish.”
Nurmagomedov also suggested in an August 2025 interview that Makhachev could have a maximum of around two years left in his fighting career, noting that the champion was approaching 34 at the time.
So, while Makhachev appears to have no immediate plans to walk away, a victory at UFC 330 could mark the beginning of the final chapter of his career. If he gets past Garry, fans may have only a limited number of opportunities left to watch one of the most dominant fighters of his generation compete inside the Octagon.
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.
