UFC Welterweight Champion Islam Makhachev says he will humble challenger Ian Machado Garry at UFC 330.
“I think he’s good person, good guy but he acts like he’s like bad boy. We’ll make him humble. We will make him into a good guy,” laughed Makhachev at UFC 330 media day.
He isn’t apprehensive about their meeting either.
“I don’t know…I don’t see anything from his eyes. I just see his eyes and I’m not nervous. This is like my second fight week in my life where I enjoy every moment,” he said.
In a video that has gone viral, Ian Machado Garry’s young son Leo, who is a fan of Makhachev, can be seen crying when he didn’t get to meet Makhachev after the two fighters posed in front of the Rocky statue in Philadelphia. Makhachev vowed to make it up to him.
“We will meet him. I didn’t see him there. I will make him happy,” Makhachev promised.
Makhachev doesn’t want his own kids to get involved in the fighting game though.
“Now, I have three kids. They are small. For the future, I don’t know. I don’t want my kids to be like fighters…I will stop them. I will help them but I don’t want my kids to be some professional fighters or like some other sports because I when I grew up my mother and father were always far from me because I always traveling, always like in training camp but I want to stay with my kids,” he said.
Makhachev has already promised a UFC fan free tickets to a next fight, a father battling cancer.
“What a dream come true it was for my dad to speak to Islam, let alone be invited to his next fight. We are still in shock and cannot believe it. Thank you to Islam and his amazing team for making this happen for my dad. May his health allow us to attend Islam’s next fight!” wrote the father’s daughter on Instagram.
Despite being confident, Makhachev is not taking Garry lightly.
“He’s just good, you know. I give him respect. He have good skills but everybody knows my game and we’ll see what how he prepares for that,” he said.
UFC 330 takes place this Saturday.
Here is the card:
Main card (Paramount+ at 8 p.m. ET)
Islam Makhachev vs. Ian Machado Garry – UFC Welterweight Championship
Mackenzie Dern vs. Gillian Robertson – UFC Women’s Strawweight Championship
Charles Johnson vs. Jose Ochoa
Mansur Abdul-Malik vs. Dustin Stoltzfus
Edson Barboza vs. Esteban Ribovics
Prelims (Paramount+ at 7 p.m ET)
Chidi Njokuani vs. Joel Alvarez
Jalin Turner vs. Kaue Fernandes
Donte Johnson vs. Eric McConico
Vicente Luque vs. Tresean Gore
Early prelims (Paramout+ at 5:30 p.m. ET)
Rafael Tobias vs. Lucas Fernando
Neil Magny vs. Ramiz Brahimaj
Jeremiah Wells vs. Myktybek Orolbai
