Cain Velasquez is backing Islam Makhachev’s complete game before the UFC 330 title defense against Ian Machado Garry.
Velasquez gave the praise in a Red Corner MMA clip tied to Makhachev’s first welterweight title defense.
The full Red Corner MMA video is available on X.
Cain Velasquez believes Islam Makhachev will continue his dominant run at UFC 330, calling him one of the sport’s most complete fighters and saying he has mastered every aspect of MMA.
“Islam is a special type of athlete. He’s one of the guys at the pinnacle of this sport,”… pic.twitter.com/e22KOCtVCo
— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) July 19, 2026
Velasquez tied Makhachev’s success to his work at American Kickboxing Academy and longtime coach Javier Mendez. In the spoken answer, he went beyond a short praise line and explained why he sees Makhachev as a complete fighter inside the AKA system.
“He’s a special type of athlete, as we all know. He’s one of those guys that are at the pinnacle of this sport here.
“I talk with Javier all the time, and Islam and those guys are always doing great, so they’re in great hands.
“Javier is the one who builds champions. He is a master at what he does. So he’s always with those guys. He’s always with Islam. I know they’re in great hands.
“They’re getting exactly what they need as far as the fighting goes, the training goes, all that. I see Islam just continuously doing what he’s doing, and that’s winning impressively.
“He’s someone who’s mastered all aspects of the MMA.”
Velasquez Points To Makhachev’s Complete Game
Velasquez is not speaking from distance. He was AKA’s first UFC champion before the gym produced Daniel Cormier, Luke Rockhold, Khabib Nurmagomedov, and Makhachev. His read is about the system and the fighter inside it.
Makhachev is scheduled to defend his welterweight belt against Garry at UFC 330 on August 15, 2026 in Philadelphia. MiddleEasy recently covered Garry saying Makhachev’s top game can feel like a weighted blanket if he settles into control, which makes Velasquez’s complete-game line the other side of the matchup.
Garry brings height, movement, and the confidence of a first UFC title shot after vowing to beat Makhachev where he is best. Khabib Nurmagomedov has already said Garry’s size could make Makhachev chase him, so the champion’s entries and chain wrestling are the central question.
Velasquez’s answer is rooted in the complete spoken answer: Makhachev has enough tools to keep winning even when the problem changes. Garry can challenge that read only by keeping the fight long, mobile, and difficult for the champion to settle.
