A larger ADCC champion couldn’t solve Islam Makhachev’s grappling

Islam Makhachev's grappling continues to earn praise from elite coaches ahead of his welterweight title defense at UFC 330. The undefeated UFC welterweight champion will face Ireland's Ian Garry in the main event on August 15 at the Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia.

Ronny Markes, head coach at the renowned Porrada Training Center in Las Vegas, recently highlighted Makhachev's exceptional mat skills. Speaking to Sherdog, Markes detailed a sparring session he witnessed between Makhachev and an ADCC champion—a Brazilian grappler more than 20 pounds heavier. Under pure grappling rules, Makhachev competed closely, losing by only two or three points despite the weight disadvantage.

Markes has coached numerous high-level fighters including Johnny Walker, Alexander Volkov, and Kelvin Gastelum, lending credibility to his assessment. He stressed that Garry's best chance of victory lies in maintaining striking distance and avoiding the ground, citing how decisively Makhachev controlled former champion Jack Della Maddalena during his title-winning performance. "Islam has the cardio to fight hard for five rounds," Markes said. "He made Jack Della Maddalena, who's bigger than Ian Garry, look like a white belt. If he manages to get the fight to the ground, he'll create serious problems." According to the coach, Garry's reach advantage offers his clearest path to victory, though Makhachev's wrestling supremacy remains a formidable obstacle.