Ahead of their UFC welterweight title bout this summer at UFC 330, Ian Machado Garry has promised he will finish Islam Makhachev.
Machado Garry, the welterweight division’s No. 2 contender in the Meta UFC Rankings, fights the champion Makhachev for the undisputed UFC welterweight title in the main event of UFC 330, which takes place on August 15 at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Ian Machado Garry Shares Prediction for UFC 330 Title Fight
Ahead of the fight, the always-confident Machado Garry shared his bold prediction for the bout.
Speaking to reporters at a press conference officially announcing his signing with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Talent Agency, Machado Garry promised he would finish Makhachev at UFC 330, calling for a fourth-round finish in a fight where he dominates the champ and then stops him late in order to prove that his performance is no fluke.
“Me, my ideal scenario, I want a fourth-round finish. I don’t want any early knockout, because then there’s ifs, buts, maybes, there’s excuses. I want four rounds of domination and in that fourth round, I’m going to tell everybody, I’m going to do it now, and then I’m going to go in and I’m going to finish him. I’m going to open the door, I’m going to walk him into my traps and then take his head clean off his shoulders,” Machado Garry said (via MMAFighting.com).
Oddsmakers Don’t Agree With Ian Machado Garry
Although Machado Garry believes he will stop Makhachev, the oddsmakers don’t agree with his assessment of the fight.
The current betting odds see Machado Garry as a +290 betting underdog, with Makhachev as a -365 betting favorite. Given that Makhachev has won 16 straight fights and is looking to break the UFC’s all-time win streak record with his 17th victory, it makes sense that he’s a heavy favorite to defend his UFC welterweight title for the first time.
That being said, Machado Garry is an excellent fighter, and he presents different challenges to Makhachev that he may not have encountered yet. It will be an interesting fight to watch play out, and August 15 can’t come soon enough for these two to fight.
Ian Machado Garry Promises He Will Finish Islam Makhachev