Islam Makhachev believes Ian Machado Garry’s recent trip to Georgia ahead of a potential title fight was a mistake.
Garry most recently set foot in Gori, Georgia, and trained at the Nugzar Skhiereli Wrestling Gym.
“The Future” had told fans and the media after his UFC Qatar win last year that if he ever fights Makhachev, he would come to Georgia to seek help from southpaw wrestlers who can help him dethrone the Russian phenom, and, most recently, the Dubliner kept his promise.
However, the UFC welterweight champion is not convinced by Garry’s preparations and has questioned what “The Future” can add to his arsenal in a few months, which can potentially stop Makhachev. In a recent interview with Ushatayka, he said:
This is a mistake for fighters to go to some training camp for two or three months before the fight in order to get ready for the fight. It’s in reverse; this plays into such a cruel mistake because the person who goes somewhere for 2-3 months to prepare starts to believe in his skills, and then this doesn’t work. In two or three months, it is impossible to learn how to wrestle. This is what you have had to do since childhood. Many, many years.”
Check out Islam Makhachev’s comments below:
Islam Makhachev confirms that he won’t be fighting Ilia Topuria at the White House
During the same interview, Islam Makhachev confirmed that he won’t be fighting Ilia Topuria at the White House. By law, Topuria, the reigning UFC lightweight champion, has to fight current and two-time interim champion Justin Gaethje next.
Makhachev, on the other hand, will most likely make the first defense of his welterweight championship after Ramadan against Ian Machado Garry.
More recently, with Ilia Topuria and Islam Makhachev expressing interest in fighting each other at the White House, fans expected something big to be cooking behind the scenes.
However, the P4P king confirmed that the UFC brass is not interested in this super fight, and he doesn’t expect to fight Topuria anytime this year. The 34-year-old added:
I think [me and Ilia Topuria won’t fight at the White House] because he already has an opponent. UFC is not interested in this fight yet. I already have some potential opponents. Three or four people in my division, who can already be said to deserve to fight for the belt.”
Check out Islam Makhachev’s comments below:
With Islam Makhachev vs. Ilia Topuria off the table, it remains interesting to find out what Dana White meant when he said that the White House card matchmaking is done and that there are two potential options to choose from.
