Makhachev Dismisses Garry’s Movement and Oliveira’s Insight Ahead of UFC 330
Islam Makhachev enters his first welterweight title defense at UFC 330 on Aug. 15 with the calm of a fighter who has seen every style before. The two-division champion and No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter relocated his camp to Nick Catone MMA in New Jersey for the final stretch, and he described a game plan built on neutralizing Ian Machado Garry’s signature hit-and-move approach.
“His skills, I just have to run in this camp too much because I have to follow him,” Makhachev said. “He runs too much. I know his game plan. We always see his fights. He has the same style always. I will try to catch him, take him down, just what I did with my old opponents.”
One storyline entering the bout is Garry’s partnership with former lightweight champion Charles Oliveira, who lost to Makhachev by second-round arm-triangle choke in 2022 after an early knockdown. Makhachev brushed aside the idea that Oliveira could offer meaningful tactical help. “Charles is going to teach him how to tap fast,” he said. “That’s it.”
The fight also carries a national subtext. Garry is Irish; Makhachev’s camp, led by Hall of Famer Khabib Nurmagomedov, has already beaten two Irish fighters in high-profile bouts — Khabib submitted Conor McGregor in 2018, and Usman Nurmagomedov defeated Paul Hughes twice in the PFL. Makhachev downplayed the rivalry framing. “This is just a regular opponent,” he said. “It’s nothing between countries. But still [we are] 2-0 now, it’s going to be 3-0.”
With Khabib Nurmagomedov and head coach Javier Mendez on site, Makhachev said the preparation has been thorough. “Everything is going very well,” he said. “We have kept the same gym for the last few camps, training at Nick Catone MMA in New Jersey, a facility he described as very nice. The entire team — brothers, friends, and sparring partners — is here, and we’re working together every day. Khabib and Javier Mendez are on site, and the preparation has been intense.”