Ian Machado Garry spent the week pressing Islam Makhachev about the holdup at welterweight, but the champ has now answered him directly. After Garry questioned the injury timeline and tried to paint Makhachev as the one slowing the division down, Makhachev fired back with a short message that shifted the pressure onto the UFC.
“Don’t worry about my injuries,” replied Makhachev via X. “I’m ready at any time. I’m waiting for the contract.”
See Makhachev’s post below:
Don’t worry about my injuries.
I’m ready at any time.
I’m waiting for the contract https://t.co/KSopvXw3L2— Makhachev Islam (@MAKHACHEVMMA) April 24, 2026
That response came after Garry posted his own shot at the champ earlier in the week.
“First you say you have a hand injury, Dana said August, you’re saying July — I’ve been ready since you last turned me down in May,” wrote Garry. “We’re all waiting on you princess.”
🚨 The UFC is targeting Islam Makhachev vs Ian Garry next, likely for UFC 330 in August
Michael Morales is NOT in talks to fight Islam next
(via @KOlmeneroMMA) pic.twitter.com/4RnBLHgHMW
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) April 25, 2026
Islam Makhachev and Ian Machado Garry are both pushing for the next move
Makhachev has been out for about six months since beating Jack Della Maddalena for the UFC welterweight title at UFC 322. The delay has been tied to a hand issue and his annual Ramadan break, but Makhachev’s reply lines up with the recent noise around his return, especially after Dana White publicly pushed the expected comeback into August.
The Russian star is not just defending a new belt. He already built one of the strongest runs the lightweight division has seen, then moved up and beat Della Maddalena to become a two-division UFC champion. At 34, Makhachev is still sitting at the top of the pound-for-pound list, so if he says he is ready, the promotion has a real matchmaking call to make.
Garry has his own case, even if he is still chasing his first UFC title shot. The former Cage Warriors welterweight champion rose fast in the UFC, turned himself into a real contender at 170, and has made it clear he wants the biggest name available. That is why this back-and-forth matters. It is not random online chirping. Garry wants to force the fight, and Makhachev is now saying the only thing missing is paperwork.
If the UFC books it, Garry gets the title chance he has been begging for. If it goes another way, he will have even more ammunition after spending weeks calling out the champ. Either way, the talk around Makhachev’s next welterweight fight is not cooling off any time soon.
