Featherweight champion Ilia Topuria believes Ian Garry has genuine chances against lightweight champion Islam Makhachev in a potential matchup. Topuria cited the fact that Makhachev has been knocked out before in his career as a key factor. He noted that in the fighting business, everyone has chances, especially someone like Garry. Topuria emphasized that Garry has accumulated significant experience throughout his UFC career. The Georgian-Spanish champion sees real opportunities for Garry based on his skill development and Makhachev's vulnerability to knockouts.
Featherweight champion Ilia Topuria has weighed in on a potential matchup between Ian Garry and lightweight champion Islam Makhachev, stating publicly that Garry holds genuine chances in such a fight — pointing to Makhachev's knockout vulnerability as a critical factor.
Topuria, nicknamed "El Matador," carries a 17-1-0 record and sits at number one in the pound-for-pound rankings. The 29-year-old Georgian-Spanish champion competes out of Climent Club and is one of the most productive strikers in the sport, averaging 4.81 significant strikes landed per minute. He currently ranks second in the lightweight division, underlining his credibility when assessing the best fighters in that weight class.
Makhachev, the reigning champion, holds a 28-1-0 record and occupies the top spot in the pound-for-pound rankings. The 34-year-old Russian southpaw is a dominant all-around competitor, landing takedowns at a rate of 3.2 per fifteen minutes and connecting on 58 percent of his significant strikes — among the highest accuracy figures in the sport. However, Topuria noted that Makhachev's record does include a knockout loss, and argued that fact alone keeps any skilled striker in the conversation.
Topuria paraphrased the reality of combat sports plainly: everyone carries a chance, and Garry's experience accumulated inside the UFC only strengthens that case in his view. He also pointed to Garry's continued skill development as a reason to take the Irishman seriously against even elite-level opposition.
Why it matters
- Topuria's pound-for-pound standing gives his assessment weight, framing Garry as a legitimate threat rather than a long shot
- Makhachev's single career loss — by knockout — remains the clearest stylistic opening for striking-focused opponents
- A Garry-Makhachev matchup would carry major lightweight title implications, and Topuria's comments add public momentum to the discussion
