Retired MMA star Jorge Masvidal has now offered his two cents on the upcoming showdown between Islam Makhachev and Ian Machado Garry at UFC 330.
Islam Makhachev will return to the octagon to make the first defense of the UFC welterweight title that he won from Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 322 in 2025.
The current UFC welterweight champion has lost only once in his professional career, which came in his first-round KO defeat to Adriano Martins in 2015.
Islam bounced back from his UFC 192 setback and the 34-year-old Russian MMA star is currently on a stunning 16-fight winning streak in his professional career.
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Jorge Masvidal cannot see how Ian Machado Garry can overcome Islam Makhachev at UFC 330
Ian Machado Garry has won his last two outings in the octagon after his unanimous victories over Belal Muhammad and Carlos Prates ahead of the UFC 330 event.
The 28-year-old Irishman had won the first 15 fights of his professional career before he suffered his first defeat to Shavkat Rakhmonov at UFC 310 in 2024.
Machado Garry and Islam Makhachev will headline the UFC 330 card in a five-round welterweight championship fight at the Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia.
Ahead of UFC’s Pennsylvania-based event, Jorge Masvidal predicted that Islam should comfortably beat Machado Garry in their upcoming showdown.
“No, I think he’s [Machado Garry] getting choked to sleep,” he said on UFC on Paramount+.
“That’s what at least I’m hoping for. I hope Makhachev goes in there, man, gets his neck and says, ‘Man, f—.’”
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Does Ian Machado Garry have what it takes to beat Islam Makhachev? Explain your decision down below!
The only circumstance where Jorge Masvidal would see Ian Machado Garry as the favorite against Islam Makhachev
Former UFC star Masvidal admitted that Machado Garry would be his clear frontrunner to come out on top against Makhachev if it were a boxing clash.
“If they were in a boxing fight, Ian Garry,” he added.
“100 per cent. And I think he would beat him three out of five [times], four out of five [times], you know.
“I wouldn’t give Makhachev much of a chance in boxing. If it’s a grappling match, I would dump all the money on Makhachev to submit him every time.”
Makhachev vacated the UFC lightweight title in 2025 before he climbed up to welterweight for UFC 322 at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
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