Ian Machado Garry, the UFC’s top-ranked welterweight, will challenge Islam Makhachev for the 170-pound title at UFC 330 on Saturday in Philadelphia. The 28-year-old Irish fighter has expressed extraordinary confidence in his prospects against Makhachev, despite entering the bout as more than a 3-to-1 betting underdog. Machado Garry has stated his conviction stems from visualizations and a belief in his predetermined path to victory, telling reporters he has “seen it in my dreams” and in his mind.
Machado Garry’s record stands at 17-1, with his lone career defeat coming to Shavkat Rakhmonov in 2024. Since that loss, he recorded a decision victory over Carlos Prates in 2025. The challenger has worked extensively to improve his ground defense under former UFC title challenger Demian Maia at Chute Boxe Academy in Brazil, specifically to prepare for Makhachev’s elite wrestling. Makhachev, a 34-year-old native of Dagestan, Russia, carries a record of 28-1 and is pursuing a consecutive victory streak that could match Anderson Silva’s UFC record of 17 straight wins.
Makhachev recently won the welterweight title from Jack Della Maddalena in a bout last November, demonstrating dominant grappling by accumulating 19 minutes of ground control over five rounds, representing 76 percent of the 25-minute fight. When questioned about his takedown defense, Machado Garry reframed the conversation to emphasize his striking superiority and ability to avoid being caught. Makhachev responded by asserting that his recent performances without injuries or difficult weight cuts prove his dominance and that no opponent can prevent him from controlling fights.
Machado Garry has faced public scrutiny for various personal matters in recent years, including his 2022 marriage at age 24 and recent comments about gender politics that drew criticism from fellow UFC fighters and champion Mackenzie Dern. He has stated his focus remains on filtering out online negativity while prioritizing his family and training team’s input. The welterweight contender maintains his standard approach of controlling all aspects of his fight camp preparation while viewing Saturday’s bout as an opportunity to demonstrate his place among the sport’s elite fighters.
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