UFC legend Charles Oliveira believes that Ian Machado has what it takes to defeat Islam Makhachev at UFC 330.
Makhachev is the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in MMA and is a heavy favorite to defeat Machado Garry when the two meet on August 15 in the main event of UFC 330.
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But according to Oliveira, who has trained with Garry at Chute Boxe Diego Lima ahead of the fight, the Irishman has what it takes to upset the apple cart and dethrone Makhachev and win the UFC welterweight title.
Charles Oliveira Says Ian Machado Garry Can Beat Islam Makhachev
Speaking to MMAFighting.com, Oliveira explained why he thinks Machado Garry is a live dog against Makhachev.
“He knew he was next in line for the title. And he’s been completely focused on this matchup with Makhachev ever since,” Oliveira said.
“Ian truly has a very good chance of beating Makhachev. I’m not saying that because he’s my friend or because he’s part of our team, but because of what we’ve seen and how he’s been training. We know there’s an incredibly tough guy on the other side, someone who deserves all the respect in the world. He’s humble when promoting a fight, but he’s extremely difficult to deal with inside the cage. He’s outstanding, a really tough fighter. But honestly, in my opinion, Ian has a great chance of winning, because he’s such a strategic fighter and never abandons the game plan.”
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Charles Oliveira Explains What Makes Ian Machado Garry Different
According to Oliveira — who it’s worth noting was finished by Makhachev when the two met in 2022 — what makes Machado Garry different from other fighters who have tried to dethrone Makhachev is his high fight IQ.
“The difference with Ian is his intelligence. He never strays from the strategy. Whatever the team plans together with him for the fight, he’ll follow it from start to finish. That’s what sets Ian apart. Once he commits the game plan to his mind, he’ll stick with it all the way through. He won’t change it. That’s the difference Ian brings into the game, into the cage. That’s what makes us happy, because he never drifts away from the plan or loses focus. He gives himself to it 100%. He sticks to the strategy no matter what’s happening, so I think it’s going to be a great fight,” Oliveira said.
Though Oliveira believes that Machado Garry has a good chance to win the fight, the betting odds certainly do not paint the same picture, as Machado Garry is a +260 betting underdog, with Makhachev as a -320 favorite to defend the UFC welterweight title.
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We’ll soon find out if what Oliveira is saying is true when Makhachev and Machado Garry lock horns at UFC 330, which takes place on August 15. At that point, we’ll find out if Machado Garry is truly up for the test and can defeat one of the best fighters to ever compete in the UFC, or if the champ is just too good and basically unbeatable in the UFC.
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