Javier Mendez says Ian Machado Garry was the toughest UFC challenge Islam Makhachev has faced from his corner’s perspective after Makhachev retained the welterweight title at UFC 330.
In a post-fight interview, Mendez detailed the ground-first strategy, the unplanned head-kick knockdown, Garry’s unusual sportsmanship, Makhachev’s growing all-time case and three possible challengers.
Mendez Explains Makhachev’s Ground-First Plan
Mendez said the team repeatedly returned Makhachev to the safer phase of the fight.
The least danger he was for us was on the ground. The most danger he was for us was on the stand-up. So the object of goal was to take away his biggest strength, which was his stand-up. And even though we could stand with him, like I said we could, it still would have been the harder road for us to go. So the ground was the obvious, the better choice for us. So we decided that that’s what we wanted to do. And that’s what Islam wanted also.
If Islam said, ‘Hey, I want to stand with the guy,’ I would have let him. I would just advise, ‘That’s not the best choice,’ but you can stand with him.
The head-kick knockdown came from a technique Makhachev already uses in training rather than a special call for Garry.
Fantastic kick. We didn’t plan that, per se. That’s what he does in training, so it wasn’t like we planned that kick. This one wasn’t planned. This one is something that he does in training anyway. He’s just so well-rounded. He can do it all. That’s what I’m always trying to say about Islam. He can do it all. So it wasn’t a planned thing, but it was part of what he does.
We planned on being active, putting pressure on him, and that didn’t work out as well as we would have liked it to have been. But a lot had to do with Ian Garry playing his game good, too.
Javier Mendez says Islam could have stood with Ian Garry if he wanted to, but the ground was the better route. Mendez says Makhachev's head kick was not specifically planned and is something he regularly does in training.
— FightLuck (@FightluckBet) August 18, 2026
Makhachev went on to win the UFC 330 main event by unanimous decision, breaking the promotion’s record for the longest winning streak.
Garry’s Friendly Approach Made Mendez More Concerned
Garry hugged Makhachev, shook hands with the champion’s corner and patted Makhachev on the head between rounds. Mendez viewed it as a focus tactic rather than disrespect.
I thought it was, myself, very interesting. I thought it was kind of, in a way, if this is how he works, it was kind of genius for him to do that because it made him comfortable, made him into his groove. Not every fighter needs to be pushed to be better. They can be happy and do better. So what he did probably worked fantastic for him.
I was more concerned when he was doing that than less concerned because I was not thinking, ‘Oh, he’s not focused.’ I’m thinking, ‘Crap, he’s more focused than ever.’ So I’m like going, ‘Oh man, we’ve got to be ready because he’s coming.’
He shook all our hands. I’ve never had that happen. Ever, ever, ever.
That’s his way of getting into the groove, I believe. I don’t believe it was anything disrespectful. I believe that was a tactic he used to get him to fight better, and I believe he did. He fought really well. You got to take your hats off to him.
Javier Mendez discusses Ian Machado Garry's respectful approach around Islam Makhachev, calling it a smart way for Garry to become comfortable and focused. He says Garry shook every corner member's hand and that he had never experienced that before.
— FightLuck (@FightluckBet) August 18, 2026
Mendez then compared Garry with Alexander Volkanovski and stressed that the ranking was his own assessment, not Makhachev’s.
I’m going to go Garry because with Volk, it was only one round. But Garry, he was tough all the way through. So I’m going to say, from my perspective—not Islam’s, my perspective—I say he was our toughest challenge.
I think he’s just happy with his performance. I think he gave it his best.
Javier Mendez says Ian Machado Garry was Islam Makhachev's toughest challenge from his perspective because Garry remained difficult throughout the fight.
— Fighters Only (@FightersOnly) August 18, 2026
Garry later received public support from Conor McGregor for his reaction to the loss.
Mendez Sees Makhachev Building A GOAT Case
Mendez separated Garry’s toughness from Makhachev’s control.
I don’t think anybody’s dominated Ian Garry like Islam did. I don’t think anybody has. I watched his fights, and I didn’t see anybody dominate him. Not like this. This is the first time he’s actually been taken down this much and controlled this much on the ground.
That’s why Islam, to me, is on track to being in the top five in the GOAT category—probably higher than five. But regardless, I think he’s on track to being the number one guy. If he continues doing what he’s doing, I can very well see him being considered the GOAT. No doubt in my mind.
The interviewer—not Mendez—then offered the double-champion comparison heard at the end of the same video:
I think it’s more impressive because, rather than being at lightweight, he’s in a harder weight class, fighting bigger guys. And the best contenders are 28 years old, in your 20s. JDM, in your 20s. Ian Garry. Now we got Carlos Prates, Michael Morales. All respect to Daniel Cormier because he had an incredible run as a double champion, or someone with the second belt, but I feel like Islam Makhachev is by far the most impressive double champ.
Javier Mendez says nobody had dominated Ian Machado Garry the way Islam Makhachev did. He believes Makhachev is on course for the MMA GOAT conversation and calls him the UFC's most impressive double champion.
— FightLuck (@FightluckBet) August 18, 2026
Mendez had already said before UFC 330 that a win over Garry would strengthen Makhachev’s GOAT case.
Morales, Prates And Rakhmonov All Welcome
Mendez did not choose a preferred opponent for Makhachev’s next defense.
Bring on the next one. We’re expected to fight the best ones available. So if it’s Prates, great. If it’s Morales, great. If it’s Shavkat, great. Bring them. I don’t care. Islam is not going to care who he fights.
If we are pound-for-pound number one, and we claim that—which we do—we shouldn’t be afraid of anybody, and Islam’s not. I don’t think he cares who’s next. If it’s the number one guy the UFC picks, that’s who we fight. Come, let’s see what you can do. We’ll prepare for you, too, just like everybody else. We have to respect every one of these fighters.
Carlos Prates is an incredible fighter. Just because his last fight was fantastic against JDM doesn’t mean it’s going to be Islam. It’s a different fighter. He did fight fantastic against JDM, and I’m happy with the way he talks. He’s a cool kind of guy. He’s the kind of guy you go, ‘Hey, that guy’s cool. I like him. I like watching him fight.’ The cigarette stuff he does reminds me of the Ricardo Mayorga boxing routine, where he would go out smoking and go out and win a world title. Carlos Prates is a character. I like what he does. I like what he brings to the table.
If the UFC wants that to be our next opponent, I’m happy about it. If it’s Morales, I’m happy about that. And if it happens to be Shavkat, who’s probably the most deserving out of all of them due to injury, then I’m happy about that, too. We have to fight whoever they put in front of us. I’m open to all of them because all three of those guys are deserving of a title shot. All three of those guys.
Javier Mendez welcomes Michael Morales, Carlos Prates or Shavkat Rakhmonov for Islam Makhachev's next welterweight title defense and says all three deserve the opportunity.
— Title Fight (@TitleFightMedia) August 18, 2026
Makhachev has already backed Prates for a championship opportunity. Mendez’s answer leaves that route open without ruling out Morales or Rakhmonov.
