At 28 years old and riding a two-fight winning streak, Ian Garry will have the opportunity to reach the top of the welterweight division (up to 77,1 kg) in the main event of UFC 330 , when he faces Islam Makhachev for the world title. On a collision course with the pound-for-pound ranking leader, the Irishman admitted in an interview with 'MMA Fighting' that he views his opponent with enormous respect and consideration.
According to Futuro, the opponent next Saturday (15) will be the biggest challenge of his career. With only one defeat on his record, Islam hasn't known what it's like to lose for over ten years, since he was knocked out by Brazilian Adriano Martins in November 2015.
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“I put him on a pedestal as the best fighter on the planet right now, until proven otherwise. Because that’s the person I want to beat to become world champion. I think Islam is more than ready for 25 minutes of violence. He’s a dangerous man in every round. He should feel confident. He should feel capable of accomplishing the mission, because he’s done everything necessary to justify that confidence,” he stated.
🚨 Ian Garry says he needs to prove he can out-grapple Islam Makhachev , but he wants to “punch a hole in his head.” 🥶
Demian Maia is helping Ian Garry improve his Jiu-Jitsu ahead of UFC 330 . 🥋
🗣️ “Ian is a very smart fighter. He understands the most obvious advantage is his… pic.twitter.com/wSQ8esozD2
— FightLuck (@FightluckBet) August 9, 2026
Ian Garry is very confident.
Ian Garry training in Georgia. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram.
However, the praise for Makhachev should not be mistaken for insecurity. Quite the contrary. The Irishman, who has already faced the top names in the division and emerged victorious against most of them, is interested in proving to the entire MMA world that he not only deserves to be seen as the best in the world, but that his triumph is something predestined.
“However, fights aren’t that simple, and when he’s on the other side of the octagon on August 16th, I’ll have my own plans. I have my own ideas about who will win. That’s what everyone will want to find out. It’s a destiny being fulfilled. There was nothing else. No other focus. No other motivation. No other goal. I want to be world champion. When you’re UFC champion, you’re considered one of the greatest fighters on the planet. That’s what I want,” he concluded.
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