The pound-for-pound GOAT debate is a never-ending discussion, but when the greatest light heavyweight of all time weighs in, the MMA world listens. Jon Jones recently turned heads by praising Islam Makhachev right before his upcoming UFC 330 fight against Ian Garry.
Instead of offering a regular prediction, he basically said Makhachev is the only other fighter who belongs in the same conversation as him. So, with Philadelphia set to host this massive welterweight showdown on August 15, the buildup has taken on a new dimension.
Jon Jones Makes His Pick Ahead of Islam Makhachev vs. Ian Machado Garry at UFC 330
Current UFC welterweight champion Islam Makhachev (28-1) will make his first 170-pound title defense against No. 1 contender Ian Machado Garry (17-1). Their face-off headlines the UFC 330 main event at the Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia.
When Jones was asked to make a verdict on this incredible bout, he picked his champion, saying, “I’m going with Islam because he has a wrestling background, and it’s very hard to beat wrestlers. He may just be one of the greatest fighters in the world. Right now, it’s me and maybe him. So, I encourage him to keep going.”
Jon Jones says Islam Makhachev belongs in the GOAT discussion and favors him against Ian Garry 🐐🔥
“I’m going with Islam because he has a wrestling background, and it’s very hard to beat wrestlers. He may just be one of the greatest fighters in the world. Right now, it’s me and… pic.twitter.com/gZaoPrUR5e
— FREAK.MMA (@FREAKMMA1) June 27, 2026
Makhachev won the welterweight title at UFC 322 last November, putting on a dominant performance to beat Jack Della Maddalena. That victory tied Anderson Silva’s historic UFC record of 16 straight wins. It also made Makhachev just the 11th fighter in UFC history to become a two-division champion after a legendary run in the lightweight division.
That’s enough to earn credible respect from the heavyweight GOAT. The stats show exactly why Jones, who has hinted at a UFC return recently, respects him so much. Makhachev’s style is built entirely on Sambo. It is the aggressive wrestling system used by his mentor, Khabib Nurmagomedov.
He uses relentless pressure, heavy top control, and elite chain wrestling to break down his opponents on the ground. Thirteen of his 28 career wins have come by submission, and his defensive wrestling stats are among the best the sport has ever seen.
Jones spent two decades using his own elite wrestling to shut down opponents. He understands better than most why that pedigree is so hard to overcome. So, he sees Makhachev as a peer at the very top of the sport.
Why Ian Garry Believes He Can Flip UFC 330 Script
And the record books show that Garry knows how to handle a setback, too. After dropping a decision to Shavkat Rakhmonov, he bounced back with two massive wins over top-ranked Carlos Prates and former champion Belal Muhammad.
Plus, Garry is huge for this weight class. At 6’3″ with a 74-inch reach, he brings a long, tall frame that Makhachev has never really had to deal with before.
Not surprisingly, the oddsmakers still favor the champion heavily, putting Makhachev around -365 with Garry sitting as a +290 underdog. But any MMA fan will tell you that betting numbers don’t matter once the cage door shuts. On fight night, it all comes down to style matchups.
