Islam Makhachev told Daniel Cormier that Ian Garry can no longer be considered Irish, arguing that Garry speaks Portuguese, trains in Brazil, and has his family based there. Makhachev said the upcoming bout should be framed as Russia vs. Brazil — just like his fight with Charles Oliveira — rather than Russia vs. Ireland. He also quipped that if Garry taps out quickly, at least he won't have to break his arm or his neck, adding that the young welterweight can go on to become champion after Makhachev eventually retires.
Islam Makhachev is not waiting for fight week to get under his opponent's skin. Speaking with Daniel Cormier ahead of his welterweight title defense against Ian Garry, the reigning champion made the case that Garry can no longer be considered Irish in any meaningful sense.
Makhachev argued that Garry speaks Portuguese, trains in Brazil, and has relocated his family there — making the upcoming bout, in his view, a Russia versus Brazil clash rather than Russia versus Ireland. He drew an explicit parallel to his previous fight with Charles Oliveira, framing both matchups through the same geographical lens.
Makhachev, 34, carries a 28-1-0 record into the bout as the reigning welterweight champion and sits atop the pound-for-pound rankings. The Dagestan native trains out of Eagles MMA and fights out of a southpaw stance. He averages 3.2 takedowns per 15 minutes and connects on 58 percent of his significant strikes, numbers that reflect the suffocating, technically disciplined style that has defined his title reign.
Ian Garry's connection to the Oliveira comparison is more than geographical. Oliveira, now ranked third in the lightweight division at 37-11-0, is a fellow Brazilian-based fighter who shared the cage with Makhachev in a high-profile lightweight title bout. Makhachev's framing suggests he views Garry's adopted environment as a defining characteristic, regardless of his Irish passport.
The champion also showed a lighter side in the interview, quipping that if Garry submits quickly, at least he will leave without a broken arm or neck. In the same breath, Makhachev acknowledged that the young welterweight has the potential to become champion himself — after Makhachev eventually decides to hang up his gloves.
Why it matters
- Makhachev is using the pre-fight narrative to strip Garry of a potential home-crowd emotional edge by reframing his identity.
- The Russia vs. Brazil framing deliberately evokes the Oliveira fight, a bout Makhachev won, positioning him as the proven quantity.
- The backhanded compliment about Garry's championship future signals respect wrapped in confidence — a calculated psychological move.
