Islam Makhachev seems to think he’ll spend a lot of time chasing Ian Machado Garry around the cage when they meet at UFC 330.
The two are set to headline the event on August 15, marking the UFC’s return to Philadelphia at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
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Makhachev will be making his first title defence after winning the belt last November with a dominant performance against Jack Della Maddalena.
Garry, who joined the UFC in 2021, has impressed so far. But Makhachev sees him as someone who “runs away” inside the Octagon.
Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC
Makhachev expects to chase Garry
“My prediction for this fight – I will have to chase after him,” Makhachev said via Happy Punch.
“He’s not an aggressive fighter. He won’t attack me himself. He’ll run and try to catch me with something, but I won’t let him. ““He doesn’t even want people touching him. When his teammates enter training camp he says don’t touch me.”
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The Dagestani is widely considered one of the sport’s top pound-for-pound fighters and has built an incredible resume since joining the UFC back in 2015. He went on a 12-fight win streak that included three successful lightweight title defences before moving up to welterweight late last year.
Garry has been climbing fast as well, winning all seven of his fights since debuting in 2021. But if there was any doubt about how tough this step up will be for him, Makhachev made it clear what he thinks of Garry’s fighting style.
Islam Makhachev says Ian Machado Garry is an ‘unentertaining’ fighter who ‘runs away’ in UFC bouts
Garry had to fend off Michael Morales and Carlos Prates to earn the fight, with his win over Prates – who later knocked out Della Maddalena – helping his case.
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That result has held up well for ‘The Future’, especially after he followed it by beating former champion Belal Muhammad.
Even though Garry impressed some fans with his close loss to Shavkat Rakhmonov, Makhachev was less complimentary before the fight became official.
“Style-wise, he’s a tricky fighter. He constantly runs away,” Makhachev told Red Corner MMA. “I wouldn’t call him an entertaining fighter. Morales, for example, can wrestle; he goes forward.
Garry will likely enter the fight as a heavy underdog against Makhachev, whose win over Della Maddalena made him just the eleventh two-division champ in UFC history.
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