Islam Makhachev’s Flexible UFC 330 Plan

Islam Makhachev could arrive at UFC 330 with a plan that runs against the assumption surrounding his fight with Ian Machado Garry. The expectation is simple: Makhachev will attempt to bring Garry to the mat. But Javier Mendez, the AKA head coach, has indicated that the champion is not committed to making grappling the defining feature of the contest. Makhachev is scheduled to headline the August 15 event at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, where he will defend the welterweight title for the first time since taking it from Jack Della Maddalena eight months ago.

That does not mean Makhachev’s grappling is absent from the equation. It means the champion’s team is leaving room to make decisions once the fight develops. Mendez pointed to Garry’s range, his use of kicks, his scrambling and his takedown defense as qualities that require observation rather than a pre-set answer. The coach said the team must see what it can do once Makhachev and Garry are in the octagon. For a matchup widely framed around whether Garry can stay upright, that is an important distinction: Makhachev’s approach may be based on adaptation instead of a single route to victory.

Makhachev’s team leaves the door open

Mendez did not promise that Islam Makhachev would take Ian Machado Garry down. Instead, he said the team cannot know the right choice until it sees Garry’s timing. His comments specifically left open the possibility that Makhachev could strike with Garry rather than force a wrestling-first contest. That is the notable part of the message ahead of UFC 330, because it shifts the focus from a presumed takedown battle to the broader range of options Makhachev believes he can use. Mendez acknowledged that Garry is dangerous on the feet and stressed his ability to manage range with kicks. He also cited Garry’s scrambling and takedown defenses. Those strengths explain why a simple declaration about taking Garry down would be premature. Mendez’s position is not that Makhachev will avoid the canvas; it is that the champion will judge the available openings after the fight begins. The source material presents Makhachev as a well-rounded fighter capable of adapting, rather than as a champion restricted to one tactical identity.

The timing of that flexibility matters because Garry’s case for an upset has been tied to his takedown defense. Most observers see that defensive work as central to his chances, particularly after Jack Della Maddalena came undone on the canvas against Makhachev. Yet Mendez’s comments suggest that successfully preparing for takedown attempts alone may not settle the tactical puzzle. If Makhachev is willing to exchange at range, Garry must contend with a contest that can change shape without warning. The issue is not a prediction about which phase will decide the fight. It is the confirmed uncertainty Mendez has preserved around how Makhachev will choose to engage.

Garry’s strengths shape the decision

Ian Machado Garry enters the matchup with recent technical striking wins over Carlos Prates and Belal Muhammad in 2025. Those results supply context for why Mendez spoke carefully about a stand-up exchange rather than dismissing it. Garry is not being treated as an opponent who can simply be marched toward a takedown without consequence. His range and kicking game are named by Mendez as key features of the challenge, while his scrambling and defensive wrestling give Makhachev further variables to read. For Islam Makhachev, the available information points to a measured game plan, not a public commitment to one. He can test the striking, look for grappling opportunities if they emerge, or adjust as Garry’s timing becomes clear. That is a more nuanced proposition than the standard expectation that the champion must immediately drag the challenger down. It also gives the UFC 330 main event a tactical question that will only be answered in the octagon.

• Mendez identified Garry’s range, kicking, scrambling and takedown defense as factors that Makhachev’s team must assess during the fight.
• Mendez said Makhachev may not need to take Garry down and could instead strike with him if the situation calls for it.

Islam Makhachev’s UFC 330 preparation is being defined publicly by options rather than certainty. Javier Mendez has not ruled out the expected grappling route, but he has made clear that a striking contest remains possible against Ian Machado Garry. With Garry’s range and defensive work central to the matchup, Makhachev’s ability to adapt is the confirmed theme heading into his first welterweight title defense.

Sources: MMA News