Ali Abdelaziz lambasts Ian Machado Garry over Conor McGregor comparisons before UFC 330 fight against Islam Makhachev

Ian Machado Garry is on the cusp of competing in a fight that many believe is his toughest and most high-profile test thus far. 

The Irishman is booked to take on former UFC lightweight (155-pound) kingpin and reigning UFC welterweight (170-pound) champion Islam Makhachev. With the latter's welterweight title at stake, the duo will headline UFC 330 in Philadelphia on August 15. 

Garry, for his part, has often acknowledged that many fans and experts compare him to fellow Irishman -- former UFC featherweight and lightweight champion Conor McGregor. 

Well, Islam Makhachev's longtime manager Ali Abdelaziz has now taken aim at Garry for the latter's acknowledgment and assertions about his (Garry's) similarities with the legendary McGregor. 

Ian Machado Garry recently revisited his being compared with MMA legend Conor McGregor, while discussing his UFC 330 fight

During a recent edition of the High Performance podcast, Ian Machado Garry spoke about a number of topics, including his imminent title shot against welterweight titlist Islam Makhachev at UFC 330. 

The 28-year-old, who's time and again underscored how he'd idolized Conor McGregor while growing up, implied that he's always faced high expectations due to the constant comparisons with McGregor. 

Garry has been forging his own MMA legacy, whilst also hailing McGregor for being a pioneer for mixed martial arts fighters from Ireland. Displaying his appreciation for his 38-year-old compatriot, he stated: 

"I've had a lot of comparisons to Conor (McGregor), due to the fact that we're both from Dublin, we're both from Ireland, we both talk the talk and both walk the walk. But we will fight anyone on the planet." 

Watch Ian Machado Garry address the parallels between himself and Conor McGregor below (*comments at the 17:25-minute mark of the video): 

Ali Abdelaziz lambasts Ian Machado Garry over his talks about comparisons with UFC icon Conor McGregor

Well, Islam Makhachev's friend and manager, Ali Abdelaziz of Dominance MMA management, has long been at loggerheads with Conor McGregor. Abdelaziz's client and retired MMA star Khabib Nurmagomedov had engaged in a bitter rivalry with McGregor, even clashing in a massive brawl after their UFC lightweight title fight back in 2018. 

Abdelaziz has, for years, traded barbs with McGregor and many of his supporters. Furthermore, the polarizing MMA manager has now taken a shot at Ian Machado Garry over his recent interviews. 

Abdelaziz appeared to downplay Garry's achievements as a professional MMA fighter -- jabbing that he's 2-1 in his past three matchups, almost got finished by Carlos Prates, and lacks a finishing instinct inside the octagon. 

He further lauded Makhachev, emphasizing that the Dagestani fighter has faced and beaten opponents of a much higher caliber.

Abdelaziz also cited some of his other clients -- such as Kamaru Usman, Khabib Nurmagomedov, and Justin Gaethje to claim that anyone who uses trash talk against his fighters ends up losing. 

Castigating Garry -- as well as criticizing Conor McGregor on a personal level -- Abdelaziz wrote: 

"And he keeps bringing his name up, comparing himself to Conor. First of all, you're not Conor. You'll never be Conor. You might actually be a better person than him, because I think Conor has done a lot of things I don't respect." 

Abdelaziz added, "Just be who you are. Don't try to be somebody else." 

Seemingly jibing at his client Justin Gaethje's previous opponent, Ilia Topuria, Abdelaziz made an allusion to the Gaethje-Topuria war of words and Topuria's TKO loss against the American at the UFC White House event last month. 

Warning Garry, Abdelaziz wrote, "You saw what happened at the White House. Don't go down that road. Focus on being yourself, because that's the only version of you that people will respect." 

And he keeps bringing his name up, comparing himself to Conor.

First of all, you’re not Conor. You’ll never be Conor.

You might actually be a better person than him, because I think Conor has done a lot of things I don’t respect. Just be who you are. Don’t try to be somebody…

— Ali Abdelaziz (@AliAbdelaziz00) July 20, 2026

Check out a few screenshots of Ali Abdelaziz's X posts concerning Ian Machado Garry and more below: