Max Holloway picked Islam Makhachev to retain the UFC welterweight title against Ian Machado Garry at UFC 330, but he rejected the idea that Garry has no realistic chance.
The former UFC featherweight champion focused on Garry’s reach, distance management and takedown defense during his complete card breakdown:
Holloway Expects Garry To Test Makhachev Early
“A lot of people are giving Ian no shot, which is blowing my mind. I think this is going to be a way more competitive fight than people think. I think, early on — it’s five rounds — early on, and I think so in the first two rounds, I think so Islam is going to have problems with Ian’s reach, just trying to figure him out. At the end of the day, the longer the fight goes on, Islam only gets stronger, I think. So if Islam can get his hands on him, Islam can drag him down, and we’re just going to see a vintage Makhachev victory.”
Holloway did not commit to one finishing method:
“Does he submit him? I don’t know. Maybe he just pressures him, gets on top, controls, you know, some ground-and-pound here and there. I think the fight is going to be super competitive in the first two rounds, and then once Islam figures out that reach — figures, uh — and cuts Ian off and gets him against the cage and drags him to the ground, I think so. I think Makhachev is going to be ‘and still.’”
He then explained why Garry’s record and decision-making deserve more respect:
“But I just don’t get the disrespect of Ian. You know, like, man, he shows us over — he shows the fans, and man, I don’t get the disrespect that Ian is getting. You know, like, he showed the fans over and over. You know how many times he was an underdog and people just thought he was going to get run over, and he goes out there. His fight IQ is pretty good — not pretty good, his fight IQ is really good. Dude’s a killer. Dude’s out there to be a world champion.”
Holloway closed the matchup portion by describing how Makhachev could take over after the opening rounds:
“Maybe a submission, maybe not. Maybe just on top and just smothering and beating him down. But the first two rounds is going to be very hard. You know, Islam has a hard time with guys that are rangy sometimes, guys that know their distance, guys that can kind of keep their distance. Ian is that good. Don’t be surprised if Ian defends a couple takedowns in the first two rounds. I think so later on in the rounds, Makhachev is just going to wear Ian down and take it over from the third round on. And that’s the way I’m leaning, guys.”
Garry entered the title fight with one professional loss, a decision against Shavkat Rakhmonov, before returning to contention. Makhachev arrived in Philadelphia with a chance to extend his championship run and the UFC winning streak discussed throughout fight week. Dana White warned that Garry was being overlooked, while Conor McGregor made the opposing knockout pick and Javier Mendez assessed Makhachev’s GOAT case.
