Ian Garry: 'I Beat Makhachev' If They Fight 'Right Now'

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Ian Machado Garry says he would beat Islam Makhachev if the two ran it back today, just three weeks removed from losing his UFC welterweight title bid at UFC 330.

Machado Garry dropped a unanimous decision to Makhachev on August 15 in Philadelphia, a five-round battle that pushed the pound-for-pound king the full 25 minutes before the champion pulled away on the scorecards. Speaking to reporters ahead of Katie Taylor's retirement fight at Croke Park in Dublin, Machado Garry made clear the loss hasn't dented his belief that he belongs at the top of the 170-pound division.

"I feel like if I fight him right now, I beat him," Machado Garry said. "I have so much confidence in myself, so much confidence in my team and the preparation that we do."

What Did Garry Say Went Wrong Against Makhachev?

Machado Garry pointed to output, not gameplan, as the difference in a fight he lost on the cards but not, in his view, in the cage. "I definitely think the biggest thing I could've done was a bit more volume," he said, adding he wanted "a bit more me, a bit more kicks, more venom in the shots to the head." He acknowledged the difficulty of the task, noting that Makhachev has "been able to beat everyone he's stood in front of." UFC CEO Dana White criticized Machado Garry's lack of urgency to hurt Makhachev during the fight, a contrast to the challenger's own insistence that his output, not his approach, was the fix needed.

Is Garry Getting an Immediate Rematch?

There's no rematch on the books, and Machado Garry didn't announce one. He said only that he's ready to fight again as soon as possible and wants to stay in the mix at the top of a stacked welterweight division that also includes Shavkat Rakhmonov, Carlos Prates and Michael Morales. "Anyone, anywhere, anytime, go back in there, prove I'm one of the baddest men on the planet," he said. Machado Garry fell to 17-2 with the loss, still good enough to sit at No. 2 in the welterweight rankings behind Makhachev.

Betting Angle

Sportsbooks made Machado Garry a live underdog against Makhachev in August and he still came up short on every card, which is exactly why bettors should treat "I beat him right now" as fighter bravado rather than a market signal. Makhachev extended his win streak to 17 straight and has looked unbeatable at both 155 and 170 pounds, so any rematch price would almost certainly open with him favored again, likely by a similar or wider margin given how comfortably he controlled the later rounds. If Machado Garry does get a second crack at the belt, the more interesting number for bettors may not be the moneyline but the round total and distance props, since he proved he can survive Makhachev's full grappling assault without cracking.

Frequently Asked Questions

Did Ian Machado Garry lose to Islam Makhachev?

Yes, Ian Machado Garry lost a unanimous decision to Islam Makhachev at UFC 330 on August 15 in a fight for the UFC welterweight title.

Is there a rematch between Ian Machado Garry and Islam Makhachev?

No rematch has been announced. Ian Machado Garry has said he wants to return to the octagon as soon as possible but no bout with Islam Makhachev is currently scheduled.