Islam Makhachev Reveals UFC 330 Game Plan for Ian Machado Garry, Mocks Charles Oliveira
Islam Makhachev gave fans a glimpse on what to expect when he meets Ian Machado Garry in three weeks.
A few short weeks remain until UFC 330 takes place in Philadelphia. At the top of the bill that night is the battle for the UFC Welterweight Championship between Ian Machado Garry and Islam Makhachev. At this point, strategy is of top concern for both men.
Islam Makhachev Explains Strategy for Ian Machado Garry
With training camp entering its final stretch, closing in on UFC 330 set for August 15, Makhachev has relocated to New Jersey alongside his trusted team, including former lightweight champion and mentor Khabib Nurmagomedov and longtime coach Javier Mendez.
On the other side stands Garry, who represents Makhachev's first title defense since moving up to 170 pounds. The Irishman has built his reputation on sharp, technical striking, picking apart opponent after opponent on his climb to the top.
Makhachev acknowledged exactly that when discussing his preparations. "His skills, I just have to run in this camp too much because I have to follow him. He runs too much. I know his game plan. We always see his fights."
In hindsight, the 28-year-old has frustrated several opponents by staying light on his feet, fighting at range, and refusing to engage recklessly. While it's a style that has drawn criticism from some fans for lacking excitement, it has also helped him climb into a welterweight title fight.
Oliveira, one of Garry's primary training partners at Chute Boxe Academy, recently praised the Irishman for that very discipline. According to “De Bronx,” Garry's greatest strength is his ability to stick to a strategy even under pressure. Oliveira believes that discipline gives his teammate a genuine chance to upset the champ.
Makhachev (28-1-0), however, doesn't appear convinced. Rather than treating Garry (17-1-0) as an unpredictable puzzle, the champion believes he's facing a fighter whose tendencies have remained consistent throughout his UFC run.
"He has the same style always," Makhachev told MMA Fighting during an exclusive. "I will try to catch him, take him down, just what I did with my old opponents."
If anything, the 34-year-old isn't trying to reinvent the wheel, keeping his strategy grounded. His plan is to close the distance, drag Garry into his world, and do what he's done to so many opponents before. Garry's movement might buy him some time, but the champion doesn't believe it'll be enough to keep him off for five rounds.
Makhachev Brushes Off Charles Oliveira’s Influence With a Brutal Jab
Much has been made of Oliveira's presence in Garry's camp. The Brazilian knows Makhachev better than almost anyone in the UFC, having shared the Octagon with him in their lightweight title fight in 2022.
That night ended disastrously for the Brazilian, with Makhachev dropping Oliveira before finishing him with an arm-triangle choke in the second round to capture the lightweight championship.
Because of that shared history, many have wondered whether Oliveira could offer Garry valuable insights before UFC 330, and Makhachev doesn't think so. In the build-up, he delivered one of the sharpest one-liners,
"Charles is going to teach him how to tap fast. That's it."
The remark was classic Makhachev: brief, dry, and delivered with complete confidence. Rather than entertaining the idea that Oliveira has secrets that could help Garry, the champion reduced the discussion to the outcome of their previous meeting.
Makhachev says Rivalry Doesn't Go Beyond Fighting
Despite the growing storylines surrounding the matchup, Makhachev insists the fight isn't personal. Garry's outspoken personality and reputation for verbal sparring have done little to pull him into a war of words.
He also dismissed suggestions that the contest carries any deeper significance between Ireland and Dagestan, despite Nurmagomedov's famous victory over Conor McGregor and Usman Nurmagomedov's recent success against Paul Hughes.
Whether that prediction comes true remains to be seen, but one thing is already clear. Makhachev enters UFC 330 believing he has identified Garry's biggest strengths, prepared specifically to neutralize them, and isn't losing any sleep over the advice the challenger might receive from Oliveira.
