Ian Machado Garry explains why Islam Makhachev is the perfect UFC title fight

PHILADELPHIA – Ian Machado Garry knows the test is tough.

The fans will be thrilled though by the high-level nature of the bout, and Machado Garry (17-1 MMA, 10-1 UFC) says he shares the same enthusiasm. In fact, he wouldn't have it any other way Saturday at UFC 330 than facing Islam Makhachev (28-1 MMA, 17-1 UFC) for the welterweight championship.

"Winning a world title in the UFC is amazing," Machado Garry told MMA Junkie and other reporters at a pre-fight news conference Wednesday. "It doesn't matter who you beat to become the world champion. You're forever more a UFC world champion. But just like when Conor McGregor beat Jose Aldo, who hadn't been beaten in 10 years, it's different. OK, this is legit. I've got the opportunity to fight the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter on the planet, a man who's on a record-setting win streak since the great Anderson Silva. For me to go out there against him, who many consider to be a generational talent, they're starting to talk about him in the GOAT conversation. For me to go out there and have that as the challenge, that I have to go out and beat to prove not only I'm the champion of the world, but also I'm truly the best in the planet, it's exactly what I want."

In 2026, the "striker vs. grappler" label means something wholly different than the days when fighters only had one area they excelled in. But Machado Garry sees the Makhachev clash as the best, most clear-cut, modern day example of the phrase.

"People are talking about it being an interesting fight," Machado Garry said. "But the truth is that it's such a black and white fight. He has to get me down. I have to keep it on the feet. However, it's the most elite of both of those worlds. He's unbelievably good when he gets a hold of people. I am unbelievably good at moving around on the feet and being the best striker in the world. It's, 'How do we get our games going to win the fight?' Who's going to control the fight and get it where they want it to be, keep it where they want it to be. Can he grab a hold of me, keep a hold of me, get me to do the ground? Can I stop him from holding me down? Can I keep hitting him, keep hurting him? That's the fight.

"I believe it's the most elite version of a striker vs. grappler that we've seen in the sport. It's the next generation of what MMA has turned into, because Islam is no slouch on the feet. Look what the guy did to Jack Della Maddalena. The guy can strike, but we don't talk about it because he's so good at the grappling. For me, it's very simple. He's a phenomenal fighter in every facet of the game, as am I. I think this is one of the most well rounded fights we've seen in the UFC. Full stop."

Machado Garry took a business-only approach during his session speaking with reporters, saying as he sat down that he strictly wanted to focus on fight-related matters. He seems to be taking that approach in the pre-fight promotion with Makhachev, as well, shutting down any suggestion the fight week events will take a turn into trash talk.

"Gone should be the days of negativity," Machado Garry said. "Let's speak about people in a positive light. I don't want that to go that way. I don't want any negativity. Let's focus on the fight. There's history to be made on both sides of the octagon. He's the greatest lightweight champion we've ever seen. He's a two-weight world champion. If he can win this fight Saturday night, he breaks the longest consecutive winning streak in UFC history. On my side, I'm trying to achieve the dream I had as a 16-year-old kid from Dublin, Ireland, of becoming the UFC champion. Not only that, with a win, I'm also the most victorious Irishman in UFC history and break Conor McGregor's wins (record) at the moment. There's history on both sides of the octagon. I want to create mine and stop his. We don't need to do anything else except fighting Saturday night."

Should he achieve that history, Machado Garry's vision from long ago will be vindicated. He's never been shy of declaring his belief that he'd one day hold gold. Saturday is his first crack at the title, and he plans to make good on the promises he's long made loudly and proudly.

"I knew from the moment I started this sport, the talent that I had," Machado Garry said. "I knew that with all the talent, the discipline, the sacrifice and the hard work I put in, I knew I'd get here, and I have gotten here. Nobody in the world has deserved a world title shot more than me. It still hasn't hit me yet. It'll be Friday when it hits me, 'All right, this is it. He's here.' There's no more to do. There's no more weight cutting. No nothing. No media. It's just show up, face off at the ceremonials, and I know tomorrow we're fighting. I think then it will kind of come to reality that it's real. I've always said I want to fight the toughest fighters in the world, the best fighters in the world, because that's how you become great. You leave no question marks. You make no excuses. I've fought some of the greatest fighters walking this planet right now at welterweight. It's going to be a big honor to go out there and compete against Islam, the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the planet, a world champion. His legacy is set in stone. He's done so much in this sport. Beating him, it's exactly the challenge I'd want to become the champion of the world."

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Ian Machado Garry explains why Islam Makhachev is the perfect UFC title fight