Islam Makhachev recruits Garry clone for UFC 330 camp

Islam Makhachev has recruited a training partner who mirrors Ian Garry's physical profile ahead of his first welterweight title defense.

The UFC 330 main event pits Makhachev against Garry on Aug. 15 at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, and the Russian champion brought in Joel Alvarez from Spain to simulate the Irish challenger's length and distance management, Sherdog reports. Alvarez stands 6-foot-2 and relies on similar rangy tactics that have defined Garry's defensive game.

Why Makhachev targeted Alvarez for UFC 330 prep

Though Makhachev enters as a heavy favorite, Garry's ability to control space has drawn attention from the camp. Alvarez's reach and comfort fighting at distance make him an obvious choice to replicate what the Dagestani will face in August. Makhachev's teammate and PFL champion Usman Nurmagomedov has also been mimicking Garry in training, per the report.

The Spaniard carries an 8-3 UFC record, with all three losses coming against top-tier opposition. He most recently dropped a submission loss to Yaroslav Amosov at UFC 328 in May, ending a four-fight win streak. Makhachev praised Alvarez publicly after his 2021 knockout of Thiago Moises, and Alvarez later revealed that he and his training partner used to role-play Makhachev and Khabib Nurmagomedov during sparring sessions.

Alvarez's jiu jitsu coach, Tito Beltran, confirmed the news on Instagram, noting that the lightweight would be unavailable for a scheduled August camp in Valencia because of his commitment to the UFC 330 preparation. Makhachev holds the No. 1 spot in the pound-for-pound rankings and previously reigned as lightweight champion before capturing the welterweight strap.

Reported via:

• Sherdog — Islam Makhachev found a ‘Garry clone’ for UFC 330 camp