Respected UFC veteran Demian Maia says that he believes Ian Machado Garry has what it takes to become the new UFC welterweight champion.
Machado Garry fights No. 1-ranked pound-for-pound MMA fighter Islam Makhachev this Saturday at UFC 330 for 170 lbs gold. Machado Garry has been preparing for Makhachev’s grappling by working with Maia, one of the most dominant grapplers in UFC history, and the former middleweight title challenger likes what he’s seen from Machado Garry on the mat.
Demian Maia Praises Ian Machado Garry
Speaking on UFC Countdown ahead of the big title fight, Maia explained why he thinks Machado Garry has what it takes to dethrone Makhachev.
While Maia knows how good Makhachev is, he truly believes Garry has the tools necessary to take him out and become the champion.
“Islam presents problems to everyone. He has good striking, but mainly, Islam’s strength is his grappling game: great takedowns, great variations on the ground, different kinds of submissions. Makhachev will take advantage of any mistake that you do with your elbow, with your leg, with your hips in the wrong direction – he will get you. So everything that I do is to make sure he doesn’t make these mistakes. But Ian is a very smart fighter. He understands that the most obvious advantage is his striking and control of distance. That’s why he has the tools to be the champion,” Maia said (via MMAjunkie.com).
Oddsmakers Don’t Like Ian Machado Garry’s Chances
Even though Maia thinks his pupil has what it takes to beat Makhachev and win the UFC welterweight title, the oddsmakers aren’t liking his chances in this one.
According to the latest betting odds, Makhachev is a -335 betting favorite, with Machado Garry coming back as a +270 underdog.
Although Machado Garry is a skilled striker with excellent takedown defense, very few opponents to date have been able to deal with Makhachev’s wrestling and control game on the mat, and even on the feet, he’s an excellent striker, too.
However, Machado Garry has the height and reach over Makhachev, so this should be a very intriguing fight to watch play out.
Demian Maia Says Ian Machado Garry Can Become UFC Champ