Garry Claims Tougher Opponents Than Makhachev

Ian Garry says his recent opponents are more dangerous than the fighters Islam Makhachev has faced in his title run.

The Irish welterweight challenger takes on Makhachev for the 170-pound strap at UFC 330 on Aug. 15 in Philadelphia as a massive underdog. According to Sherdog, Garry argued that his last five fights — against Belal Muhammad, Carlos Prates, Shavkat Rakhmonov, Michael Page, and Geoff Neal — represent tougher tests than Makhachev's recent stretch of title defenses against Alexander Volkanovski twice, Dustin Poirier, and Renato Carneiro, plus his win over Jack Della Maddalena to claim the welterweight title.

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Why Garry Sees Size And Skill Edge In His Opposition

Garry told ESPN that Muhammad, Rakhmonov, Prates, and Page are among the trickiest fighters in the sport. While he respects Volkanovski and Poirier as legends, he does not believe they posed the same level of threat as the welterweights he has faced recently. "When you look at who I fought — Belal Muhammad, Shavkat Rakhmonov, Carlos Prates, MVP. Those four are some of the trickiest fighters on the planet," Garry said. "As much as Volkanovski and Dustin Poirier are legends of the sport, they're not as dangerous as the guys I've just mentioned."

The challenger also pointed to the physical advantages his opponents held over Makhachev's recent competition, noting that every fighter he recently faced was bigger and longer than the lightweights and smaller welterweights Makhachev has beaten. Garry holds a 17-1 record with his only loss coming against Rakhmonov, while Makhachev enters the bout 28-1.

🎟️ Get tickets: Buy tickets to UFC 330 on Ticketmaster →

UFC 330 takes place at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia on Aug. 15.

Reported via:

• Sherdog — Ian Garry believes he has faced tougher opponents than Islam Makhachev has