Makhachev coach hints at striking-based gameplan vs. Garry at UFC 330

Javier Mendez, head coach at the American Kickboxing Academy, has signaled that Islam Makhachev may lean on his striking rather than his wrestling when he defends the UFC welterweight title against Ian Machado Garry at UFC 330 on August 15 in Philadelphia. Mendez pointed to Garry's range and kicking game as the challenger's most dangerous weapons, adding that the camp intends to study those timings carefully before deciding how heavily to invest in takedowns.

Makhachev, 34, enters the bout at 28-1-0 and is the reigning welterweight champion, having captured the 170-pound belt against Jack Della Maddalena. The Russian southpaw stands five-foot-ten with a 70-inch reach and has built his reputation on suffocating grappling — averaging 3.2 takedowns per 15 minutes — though his striking numbers are quietly elite, with a 58 percent accuracy rate on significant strikes. The Philadelphia card marks his first defence of the welterweight title.

Garry, ranked number one in the division at just 28 years old, carries a 17-1-0 record into the main event. Known as "The Future," the orthodox striker presents a stark physical contrast at six-foot-three with a 74-inch reach. He lands nearly 4.78 significant strikes per minute, one of the higher outputs in the welterweight division, and his length and kicking range are precisely the attributes Mendez publicly flagged as threats.

Why it matters

• Makhachev's willingness to engage on the feet would remove Garry's clearest path to defending takedowns and controlling distance
• Garry's four-inch height and four-inch reach advantages could become less decisive if Makhachev dictates the range rather than closing it for grappling
• A striking-oriented champion would represent a genuine stylistic departure from the gameplan that carried Makhachev through the lightweight division and into his welterweight reign