Ian Machado Garry believes a win over Islam Makhachev would do good for the UFC welterweight division.
Garry and Makhachev are set to collide with the 170-pound gold at stake on Aug. 15. The title fight will headline UFC 330 inside the Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia. It’ll be “The Future’s” first UFC title shot and Makhachev’s first attempt at a successful welterweight championship defense.
Appearing on “The Ariel Helwani Show,” Garry said he feels the welterweight division would benefit if he scores the upset over Makhachev (h/t MMAJunkie).
“It’s a fact, in my opinion, that when I’m the champion of the world, the welterweight division is better off,” Machado Garry said. “Firstly, Islam only fights once a year. So his next defense might be in July 2027. But the matchups, the stylistic matchups, they’re very different.”
Makhachev captured the UFC Welterweight Championship from Jack Della Maddalena back in Nov. 2025. Many are questioning whether or not the 170-pound king will fight more than once in 2026.
Garry also mentioned possible rematches with Prates and Rakhmonov, which he feels would be more intriguing for fight fans than many potential matchups for Makhachev. “The Future” admitted that he’s unsure if Rakhmonov will be able to overcome his injury woes.
“There’s going to be more high-level fights,” Garry continued. “The fans, everybody, I’m promising you now, it’s the best thing for the sport.”
Garry has defeated the likes of Belal Muhammad, Carlos Prates, and Michael Page to earn his shot at UFC gold. He’s only suffered one defeat in his pro MMA career, and that was to Rakhmonov in a competitive three-round affair. Rakhmonov never got to compete for UFC gold due to the aforementioned significant injury setbacks.
Do you think Ian Machado Garry has a point about the welterweight division being more interesting if he defeats Islam Makahchev at UFC 330? Drop a comment below.
