Islam Makhachev is treating UFC 330 as a title defense, a record chase, and a possible bridge to another combat sport. Retirement, he said, is not part of the plan.
Makhachev is scheduled to defend the UFC welterweight title against Ian Machado Garry on August 15, 2026, at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia. Garry enters at 17-1, while Makhachev brings a 28-1 record and a 16-fight UFC winning streak into the matchup.
The fight is also Makhachev’s first welterweight title defense after his move up from lightweight. Garry is chasing the biggest win of his unbeaten contender run outside the Shavkat Rakhmonov loss, while Makhachev is trying to carry a second UFC title reign into record territory.
Makhachev was speaking with MMA Junkie before UFC 330.
The Zuffa Boxing discussion came from Makhachev’s trip to New York. He said Turki Alalshikh personally raised the idea of him boxing, but Makhachev described it as something that would still need Dana White involved.
Man we have good talks about the boxing match in Zufa boxing. We spoke with the uh chef Turkey and uh uh I don’t know it’s secret or know but he say when you will be ready for boxing just let me know and we will do something.
Yeah, why not box with some other fighters? Why not?
Yeah, Turkey asked me a couple times, you ready for box? I just tell him, hey, you sit with Dana, just ask him. I’m ready like anytime.
Makhachev also reacted to the knockout he saw from ringside during that event.
Wow, this crazy man. last second he knock him out and this guy stay asleep like around 10 minutes you know it’s crazy knock out
Makhachev Targets Garry’s Ground Game
Garry has said he wants to beat Makhachev in the champion’s strongest areas. Makhachev respected the Irish contender’s reach and movement, then pointed straight at the wrestling and grappling gap.
from the first time when I’m take him down I have chance to finish him because I saw his ground game it’s not not so good you know he have good strikings long reach you know long arm he control the always go back, but I see when I’m taking him down, it’s it’s going to be finished.
Makhachev said Garry’s recent interviews have not helped him. He expects more talk during fight week, but he framed it as a performance instead of a real shift in the matchup.
bro? I saw his couple interview. Honestly, he looks very bad in this interview. better for him training more and do less interview. You know it look like somebody say somebody in the house control him and say tell him what to say in the interior. You know he look very bad in the inter.
Man, he got he tried to in the fight week he always try to be like bad guy you know but he act like he bad guy
man everybody Everybody know his ground game you know everybody talking you know everybody say I’m going to knock him out Islam I’m going to do some beat Islam but but when fights beginning they all forgot what they say
UFC announced the Philadelphia card with Makhachev vs. Garry and Mackenzie Dern vs. Gillian Robertson as the two title fights.
Makhachev also expects crowd support in the United States, where his last three fights have taken place.
Yeah. Yeah. But bro, I’m fighting like lost my three fight in USA. I know. Now I have like big USA support and I I think my opinion they crown crowd in the arena they going to support me.
The move to welterweight has changed the way Makhachev talks about camp. He said the new contract and lighter weight cut have made this preparation more comfortable.
Honestly, I’m happy with all the things which UFC like give me with like new contract with everything, you know. And I’m happy with the welterweight division also. I’m like enjoy every day from this camp. I enjoy every moment. Don’t have to cut weight too much. And uh just want to keep going, keep fighting, stay busy.
UFC 330 Could Break Anderson Silva’s Streak Mark
Makhachev and Anderson Silva are tied at 16 straight UFC wins. A victory over Garry would move Makhachev alone to 17, the longest winning streak in UFC history.
Yeah. Yeah. I have to.
I never like follow these numbers but it’s uh like like cool you know when you have longest win streak in UFC it’s sounds so look good you know.
The champion also tied his motivation to the daily pressure of keeping the belt. Makhachev said being champion is difficult because every camp is built for five rounds, but that the status itself still drives him.
Man, the champion’s life is different, man. I don’t want to lose this. You know, the champion’s life, it’s not like many things changed, but you know, it’s good to be champion. Good when you have two belts. And uh I want to be I want to be like champion, you know, because of hard, you know. It’s hard because every time you prepare yourself for the five rounds, you’re training like hard. But when you become champion, it’s something different.
When you become best fighter in the world, you know, it’s something very big.
Makhachev said recent losses by other elite fighters are a reminder inside his gym, where champions and non-champions are pushed the same way. The matchup also sits beside UFC 330’s original title-fight announcement, Michael Morales being set as backup, Charles Oliveira backing Garry’s Chute Boxe preparation, and Jorge Masvidal picking Makhachev by choke.
Yeah. Yeah, sure. The we talk like inside the team also about the about the guys who lost, you know, because maybe some of them like lose the focus. Maybe some of them you know not training it not like stay training you know still hard you know but everybody know in our our gym it’s not not working like that we always training so hard you know more than everybody and we stay no matter champions or not champions inside the gym we all same and all coaches pushing us like really hard
Makhachev Denies Retirement Rumors
Makhachev said the retirement talk was false. He did not say UFC 330 would be his final fight; he said the opposite, tying his future to records, title defenses, and the feeling of staying at the top.
It’s like somebody put the fake news I’m going to retired after this fight. No, it’s not true, man. I want to keep going. You know the feeling when you like stay in shape, stay like become best fighter, you know, is the amazing things. you know, we never you never going to find something like this outside this sport, you know. I want to keep fighting and uh we will do we will beat like all records and we stay we stay here more years.
The long-range number is 20 straight wins. Makhachev said the point is not only reaching it, but making the mark difficult for the next generation to catch.
And bro, we have to be sure nobody going to break the 20.
He also mentioned Movsar Evloev, another unbeaten contender, while discussing fighters who could keep climbing toward title level.
Mosar also. He’s the monster, you know. He can fighting he can be champions and I hope he will be champion very soon. He deserve it.
Makhachev closed the records discussion by saying his job is still direct: train, stay focused, and defend the belt.
You guys know better than me. All this record, all these numbers, bro. I just have to be focus training and defend my belt.
UFC 330 now gives Makhachev three live stakes in one fight: his first welterweight title defense against Garry, a chance to pass Silva’s UFC win-streak record, and a way to keep the Zuffa Boxing question alive without moving it ahead of the championship assignment.
