‘You’re not Conor’: Islam Makhachev’s camp responds to Ian Garry’s big claim

Islam Makhachev's manager Ali Abdelaziz has fired back at Ian Garry's pre-fight rhetoric, particularly rejecting the welterweight challenger's comparisons to Conor McGregor ahead of their UFC 330 title fight on August 15 in Philadelphia.

Garry had drawn parallels between his upcoming bid to dethrone Makhachev and McGregor's iconic 2015 featherweight championship victory over Jose Aldo, framing it as a legacy-defining moment. Abdelaziz responded sharply on social media, questioning Garry's credentials and accomplishments inside the Octagon. The manager noted that Garry stands at 2–1 in his last three fights, was nearly knocked out by Prates before being saved by the bell, and has compiled ten UFC wins—eight of which came by decision rather than finish.

Abdelaziz then contrasted those numbers with Makhachev's recent output, highlighting that eight of the champion's last ten fights ended in finish, with three victories coming against former world champions and the remainder against top-five and top-15 contenders. "You only got this fight because you know how to talk," Abdelaziz wrote. "On Aug. 14, the talking stops. Then we'll see what's real."

The manager also directly addressed Garry's McGregor comparison, stating bluntly: "You're not Conor. You'll never be Conor." Abdelaziz advised the young fighter to focus on being himself rather than emulating the Irish superstar. A win for Makhachev would mark his first welterweight title defense and break Silva's UFC record for consecutive victories.