Khabib Nurmagomedov thinks Ian Garry could make life miserable for Islam Makhachev

Khabib Nurmagomedov believes Islam Makhachev faces a formidable test against Ian Garry in their UFC 330 welterweight title bout on August 15 in Philadelphia. The Hall of Famer and Makhachev's mentor pointed to several factors that make Garry a difficult stylistic matchup: his exceptional height at 6'4", his elusive striking, and the age gap between the fighters, with Makhachev nearing 35 and Garry at 29.

Nurmagomedov outlined the challenge in an appearance on the "Smol Talk" podcast. "We've never faced an opponent this tall," he explained. "We'll have to chase him, close the distance, grab him, and take him down. It will be a difficult fight." He emphasized that a five-round affair with Garry would be grueling, and that the training camp itself presents obstacles—namely finding a sparring partner tall and rangy enough to simulate Garry's style. To that end, Javier Mendez revealed that PFL champion Usman Nurmagomedov has been helping Makhachev prepare by mimicking Garry during training sessions.

Makhachev enters undefeated in his last 16 UFC fights, including six title bouts, and is tied with Anderson Silva for consecutive octagon victories. A win at UFC 330 would set a new record. Garry holds a 17-1 professional record with 10 UFC victories; his sole loss came against Shavkat Rakhmonov, who is currently injured. Nurmagomedov's comments underscore both respect for the challenge and confidence in his protégé's ability to solve the puzzle.