Ian Garry compares his UFC challenge against Islam Makhachev to Conor McGregor's historic feat against José Aldo.

Garry focused before fighting in the UFC. Photo: Reproduction/X/UFC

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Next challenger for the welterweight title (up to 77,1 kg), Ian Garry has projected the fight against Islam Makhachev as an opportunity to repeat one of the greatest feats in UFC history. The Irishman faces the champion at UFC 330 , scheduled for August 15th in Philadelphia (USA), and compared the challenge to the moment when Conor McGregor shocked the world against José Aldo.

In an interview with the YouTube channel High Performance, the Chute Boxe athlete highlighted that McGregor won the featherweight title (up to 65,8kg) by dethroning José Aldo , the then dominant and undefeated champion for almost a decade. For the fighter, overcoming Makhachev would have a similar weight, since the Russian is considered by the organization's official ranking.

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“When Conor fought for his first UFC world title, he faced the number 1 ranked pound-for-pound fighter, who hadn’t been defeated in a decade, and knocked him out in 13 seconds. I can’t wait to step into the octagon against Islam and defeat him, because there will be no doubt that I will have done it against the best,” Garry stated.

'The Future' also reinforced that great champions need to beat the top names in the division to solidify their legacies. The fighter will face the biggest test of his career. On the other side, Makhachev seeks to maintain his dominance after moving up a weight class and winning another belt within the organization.

“To be the best, you need to beat the best. And my next opponent, at the moment, is considered by everyone in the world to be the number 1 pound-for-pound ranked fighter on the planet,” the Irishman added.

Remember José Aldo vs. Conor McGregor?

Dana White had to step between José Aldo and Conor McGregor to avoid a confrontation. Photo: Reproduction

The clash between José Aldo and Conor McGregor went down in history as one of the most memorable moments in the organization. At UFC 194, in December 2015, in Las Vegas (USA), the Brazilian defended his featherweight title for the eighth consecutive time, while the Irishman sought to win his first undisputed title in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

After a long rivalry marked by taunts and psychological warfare, McGregor needed only 13 seconds to land a left cross and knock out Aldo, ending the Manaus native's nearly decade-long undefeated streak and becoming champion of the world's largest organization.

Russia vs. Ireland reignites historic rivalry in the UFC.

Scheduled for August 15th, UFC 330 will feature a main event: the welterweight title fight between Islam Makhachev and Ian Garry . Beyond the title bout, the fight also revives a rivalry that marked one of the most emblematic periods in the organization's recent history: Russia versus Ireland.

A disciple of Khabib Nurmagomedov and the leading representative of the Dagestani fighting school today, Makhachev carries on the legacy left by the former undefeated lightweight champion. On the other side, Garry emerges as the main Irish star of the new generation and seeks to repeat the prominence that Conor McGregor brought to the country during his meteoric rise in the event.

Although lacking the personal rivalry that marked the historic confrontation between Khabib and McGregor, the duel puts Russia and Ireland back in the spotlight of the UFC. This time, in addition to national pride, the welterweight title and a prominent position at the highest level of the sport will be at stake.

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