Daniel Cormier: Ian Garry's prediction could backfire against Islam Makhachev

Ahead of his UFC 330 title fight against Islam Makhachev at the Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia on August 15, Ian Garry has drawn scrutiny from former two-division champion Daniel Cormier over his pre-fight mindset. Garry has publicly predicted a late-round stoppage victory, a specific prediction that Cormier believes could prove costly against the pound-for-pound top contender.

On his YouTube channel, Cormier warned that Garry's approach of trying to showcase his entire skill set before engineering a finish in a particular round sets him up for disappointment. "Sometimes, a person is misguided in their thoughts, and when they're misguided in their thoughts, they set themselves up for a very, very bad night or a bad result," Cormier said. He emphasized that predetermined narratives—designed to avoid the appearance of a fluke win—miss the fundamental point of competition: the outcome is all that matters.

Cormier encouraged Garry to abandon the notion of calling his shot, arguing that victory by any method against the world's best fighter speaks for itself. "It doesn't matter how you win. It only matters that you win," Cormier stressed, noting that a knockout, submission, or decision carry equal weight.

Garry enters as a sizable betting underdog, though recent UFC title bouts have defied expectations. Sean Strickland's upset victory over Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 328 and Justin Gaethje's win over Ilia Topuria at UFC Freedom 250 demonstrate that championship upsets remain possible, giving Garry a historical precedent for his ambitious bid.