EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsIt's impossible to say for certain, but Ian Machado Garry could be the only active welterweight to unseat champion Islam Makhachev. And for some MMA fans, that's a hard truth to admit.Makhachev (28-1), the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter on the planet, seeks his first UFC welterweight title defense Saturday, when he and Machado Garry (17-1) meet in the main event of UFC 330 at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia. The UFC's 170-pound division is one of the sport's best and most dynamic, but Makhachev, a longtime teammate of retired legend Khabib Nurmagomedov, stands noticeably above the rest.Machado Garry, 28, is a +270 betting underdog according to DraftKings, but his combination of size, technical striking, experience and fight IQ has many suggesting he is Makhachev's greatest threat so far.He is also criticized in some corners of the internet for everything from comparing himself to fellow Irish star Conor McGregor and winning the majority of his UFC fights by decision to more personal aspects of his life. Fans usually love an underdog, but not Machado Garry -- a notion he says is easy to dismiss."It's all fake," Machado Garry told ESPN of the online criticism he receives. "It's all on social media, and it's all fake. Any bit of hate that you speak about, it's not reality. When I walk down the road in Philadelphia, in Dublin, in Brazil, England, anywhere I go, I'm met with nothing but joy and love and appreciation. Social media isn't real. The real world is this moment. There is no negativity in my camp."Regardless of whether the "hate" is real, it's undeniable that the majority of the conversation around Machado Garry has been about "Machado Garry the individual" over "Machado Garry the fighter."In addition to winning a championship, Machado Garry has an opportunity to alter his narrative at UFC 330. Extending his record to 18-1 and defeating Makhachev would naturally steer conversation from his personal life to his athletic ability.Okamoto's championship storylines to watchMakhachev's quest for UFC legacy Not to bury the lead, Machado Garry has an opportunity to create the most meaningful moment of his career, but Makhachev has his own legacy to contend with at UFC 330. With a win, Makhachev would surpass UFC Hall of Famer Anderson Silva for the most consecutive UFC wins at 17. The fact that Makhachev has won titles in two weight classes, against the level of competition he has faced, is probably more meaningful than the specific number of wins, but the record represents a big piece of history on the line in the main event.Dern's traditional submission background vs. Robertson's MMA submission background From the moment Mackenzie Dern transitioned from jiu-jitsu to MMA in 2018, she has been the assumed better grappler in every matchup. Dern is one of the most decorated women in Brazilian jiu-jitsu history, and she has now built a championship MMA career from that base. Gillian Robertson will try to turn that narrative on its head. Robertson is not a lifelong grappler, but she is something of a phenom in MMA grappling and holds the record for the most UFC submission wins by a woman. The simple fact that one of Dern's opponents will enter a contest unintimidated by her grappling is rare and worth watching in the strawweight title co-main event.Coaches' biggest questions and predictions for welterweight title fight"Can Machado Garry find enough time on his feet to win a decision?"Sure, Machado Garry could catch Makhachev with one shot, but he's not a big power puncher. You look at the body of Machado Garry's work, and he has shown he can strategize against the top guys, but finishing them has been a different story. So if he's not going to knock Makhachev out with one exchange, can he create enough offensive windows on the feet to win a five-round decision?Machado Garry shut down Belal Muhammad's wrestling in his last fight, but if you listen to Belal talk about being in the training room with Makhachev, he's honest about it. Makhachev's wrestling is at the highest level. That means Machado Garry has to make the most of any time he has on his feet. On top of that, we saw Makhachev outbox Dustin Poirier in spots when they fought. He has also dropped Charles Oliveira, who has shown more power in short moments than Machado Garry has. Machado Garry is big and has a high fight IQ; he knows when to sprint, he makes good decisions -- but can he create that time on the feet against someone as complete as Makhachev? -- Sayif Saud, Fortis MMAPrediction: Makhachev by decision or late stoppage."How much longer does Islam Makhachev want to fight?"The retirement rumors have come up around Makhachev. I don't know the truth. Does he go the same route as Khabib and retire early, on top? How motivated is he?Makhachev is almost like Khabib in that you can't really bet against him. He has earned the right to be the favorite, no matter what. But for some reason, I have a feeling it's going to be Machado Garry's night. He's going to fight the smartest fight he has ever fought. He has fought intelligently to this point, and he has proved that he can change tactics and find different ways to win. Machado Garry comes in with a good game plan and he has shown the ability to execute it. He's a great striker and he's proficient on the ground. I believe he needs to look to hurt Islam. Trying to grind out a 25-minute win over Islam isn't a good strategy for anyone, because when he takes you down, you're probably not going to get up too many times. But honestly, we've seen Islam get clipped before, and I think Machado Garry is going to catch him with something. -- John Wood, Syndicate MMAPrediction: Machado Garry by stoppage.
