Everyone expects Islam Makhachev to drag Ian Machado Garry to the mat. His own coach says don’t count on it.
Makhachev headlines UFC 330 on August 15 at the Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, defending the welterweight title for the first time since taking it from Jack Della Maddalena eight months ago. The book on beating Garry has always been to keep the fight standing and stay off the canvas, the exact spot where Della Maddalena came undone. But AKA head coach Javier Mendez says the champion might just meet Garry in his own backyard.
Ian Garry’s biggest advantage is his range. His ability to use his range well with his kicks — as well as his scrambling and takedown defences. We’re going to have to see what we can do once we are in the octagon.
Rather than commit to a grappling plan, Mendez left the door open to a striking battle.
I would love to say, ‘We are going to take him down.’ Until we see Ian Garry’s timings we won’t know. We might not even have to take him down, we could just strike with him. Ian Garry is no slouch in the stand-up, but Islam is well-rounded, so he is able to adapt to anything.
Garry has built his case with technical striking wins over Carlos Prates and Belal Muhammad in 2025, and most observers see his path to an upset running through his takedown defense. Mendez’s message is that leaning entirely on that plan might be a mistake, because Makhachev is prepared to beat him anywhere.
