Islam Makhachev says fans should expect a more aggressive version of him when he defends his UFC welterweight title against Ian Machado Garry at UFC 330.
Speaking with MMA Junkie’s Mike Bohn ahead of the fight, the pound-for-pound king covered everything from a possible future in boxing to his thoughts on Ian Garry, Usman Nurmagomedov’s future, and his motivation to continue breaking UFC records.
Islam Makhachev Says He Will Take More Risks
One of the biggest takeaways from the interview was Makhachev’s promise to chase a finish against Garry.
Looking back at his win over Jack Della Maddalena, Makhachev admitted he wasn’t happy with his performance.
According to the champion, he focused on securing the victory and becoming a two-division champion rather than taking unnecessary risks.
This time, he says the mindset will be different.
“I will take more risk to finish my opponent,” Makhachev said.
He also believes Garry’s biggest weakness is on the ground.
Makhachev said once he secures a takedown, he expects to finish the fight.
Islam Makhachev Responds to Ian Machado Garry
Makhachev was also asked about Garry’s recent comments and interviews.
While Garry has promised to beat Makhachev in his own world and even outgrapple him, the champion wasn’t impressed.
Instead, Makhachev suggested Garry should spend less time doing interviews and more time training.
He also predicted Garry would abandon much of his pre-fight talk once the Octagon door closes.
Open to Boxing After the UFC?
Another interesting moment came when Makhachev discussed a meeting with Turki Alalshikh during the recent Zuffa Boxing event.
According to Makhachev, Alalshikh told him to let him know whenever he was ready for a boxing match.
Makhachev’s response was simple.
“Why not?”
He said he would gladly compete in boxing if the opportunity came together, adding that Dana White would ultimately need to approve it.
Usman Nurmagomedov Belongs in the UFC
Following Usman Nurmagomedov’s impressive PFL victory, Makhachev made it clear he believes his teammate has outgrown the promotion.
He said he no longer sees many meaningful fights for Nurmagomedov outside the UFC.
Instead, he believes the undefeated lightweight would continue developing even faster against the UFC’s top contenders.
Makhachev also dismissed concerns about Usman facing elite names immediately.
He said Usman is capable of competing with anyone, including Ilia Topuria and Arman Tsarukyan.
No Retirement Plans
Rumors have circulated that Makhachev could retire soon, but the champion shut them down.
He called the retirement reports “fake news” and said he has no intention of walking away after UFC 330.
Instead, Makhachev said he wants to continue fighting, stay active, and break more UFC records.
“If Islam gets to 20 wins,” interviewer Mike Bohn suggested, “he’ll be the greatest fighter ever.”
Makhachev smiled before replying that they would also need to make sure nobody ever breaks that record.
Chasing UFC History
If Makhachev defeats Ian Machado Garry, he will move past Anderson Silva’s historic UFC winning streak and become the sole owner of the longest winning streak in UFC history.
Although he admitted he doesn’t spend much time thinking about records, Makhachev acknowledged that having the longest winning streak in UFC history “sounds very good.”
Other Topics from the Interview
During the conversation, Makhachev also:
- Confirmed he feels much more comfortable competing at welterweight than during his first camp.
- Said he is enjoying training without a difficult weight cut.
- Revealed he recently received Russia’s highest Sambo honor and is now helping promote the sport internationally.
- Confirmed he has no interest in becoming a full-time MMA coach after retirement, although he plans to continue cornering friends and teammates.
- Named welterweight as the UFC’s toughest division right now because of the number of contenders.
- Joked that Justin Gaethje has been eating “too much pizza” after seeing the lightweight champion recently.
Final Thoughts
With UFC 330 approaching, Makhachev appears confident, relaxed and motivated.
Rather than talking about retirement, the champion is already thinking about defending both belts, chasing more records and possibly stepping into a boxing ring one day.
For now, however, his full attention remains on Ian Machado Garry, a fight he believes he can finish once it hits the mat.
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