Islam Makhachev’s coach recently gave his two cents on how Ian Machado Garry would fare against Makhachev in a potential bout.
Garry, who is the No. 2-ranked welterweight contender, is rumored to be the next title challenger and could face champion Makhachev when the latter defends his 170-pound championship for the first time post-Ramadan.
Ian Machado Garry recently visited Georgia to find southpaw wrestlers who can help him solve the Islam Makhachev puzzle.
Meanwhile, Makhachev’s coach, Javier Mendez, appeared on Submission Radio, where he lauded “The Future” as a highly skilled fighter.
I feel good about it. He’s a well‑known guy. He’s very highly skilled, and I look forward to the challenge. If that’s who they pick and that’s who Islam wants, no problem. Bring him on the plate. We’ll get ready for Ian Garry. He’s good.”
Islam Makhachev wants Kamaru Usman next, as the Russian believes “The Nigerian Nightmare” to be his hardest challenge at welterweight; however, he is also open to facing Ilia Topuria or Garry next. About the same, the AKA head coach added:
I was hoping if he gets anybody, it would be Kamaru [Usman] because he thought that was the toughest stylistic challenge for him, so I wanted that because that’s what he wanted. But he was good with Ian Garry or Topuria, too. He wanted a challenge. Those are the three that I know he stated he wouldn’t mind fighting, but we don’t make those decisions. The UFC gives us a challenge, and we accept or don’t accept.”
Javier Mendez breaks down the potential Islam Makhachev vs. Ian Machado Garry matchup
When asked about how he sees Ian Machado Garry performing against Islam Makhachev, the AKA head coach added that although the Irishman is pretty tricky on the stand-up, once the fight goes to the ground, it is Islam Makhachev’s territory, and that is where total domination begins.
He does well with Islam on the stand‑up because he’s rangy, he’s tricky, all those. But on the ground, he doesn’t. He does okay, but he doesn’t survive on the ground, I don’t think. I mean, okay, he might survive five rounds, but he won’t get the best of Islam on the ground. That I’m a 100% sure about. On the stand‑up, he’s pretty tricky, so one punch can change everything, one kick, one punch, one knee. That’s a different story. But on the ground, I don’t see him dominating.”
Mendez thinks “The Future” has decent takedown defense and can survive for five rounds against the pound-for-pound king, but won’t be able to stop the 34-year-old two-division UFC champ from taking him down.
I see him surviving, possibly. His takedown defense is decent, but not great enough to stop Islam from taking him down.”
Next, lauding former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman’s overall arsenal, Javier Mendez added:
I think Kamaru is the toughest stylistically for us because he’s got great wrestling and experience, and he has good striking also. I think he stylistically is the toughest. That doesn’t mean Kamaru beats all the other guys, I’m just saying for us, he stylistically is the toughest.”
Lastly, Javier Mendez added that they can’t afford to take Ian Machado Garry lightly.
Ian Garry he’s good, man. We can’t sleep on him. Cannot sleep on him. He’s very, very good.”
Check out Javier Mendez’s comments below (7:22):
