Cain Velasquez expects Islam Makhachev to defeat Machado Harry

Cain Velasquez expects Islam Makhachev to extend the form that has carried him to titles in two UFC weight divisions when the welterweight champion meets Ian Machado Garry at UFC 330. Makhachev is scheduled to make his first defense at 170 pounds against the Irish contender in Philadelphia this August, with the event set to be headlined by their championship fight. Velasquez described Makhachev as a special athlete and said he sees the Dagestani fighter continuing to win in impressive fashion.

Makhachev became the eleventh fighter to win UFC titles across two divisions when he added the welterweight championship to his resume. His move to the division followed a lengthy reign at lightweight, and his first appearance at welterweight came against Jack Della Maddalena last November. According to the source material, Makhachev controlled the Australian with wrestling over five rounds at Madison Square Garden. Garry now gets the opportunity to challenge him for the belt and has expressed confidence that he can upset the odds at the Xfinity Mobile Arena.

Velasquez points to Makhachev’s complete MMA game

Velasquez offered his assessment during an interview with Red Corner MMA in Miami, where he attended IBA Bare Knuckle 6 alongside Jon Jones. The former two-time UFC heavyweight champion has a personal connection to the environment around Makhachev through his time at American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose. During his active career, Velasquez trained at the facility with fighters including Khabib Nurmagomedov, Luke Rockhold and Daniel Cormier, and his time there also crossed over with Makhachev’s. That background informed a direct appraisal of the current welterweight champion. Velasquez said Makhachev belongs at the pinnacle of the sport and noted that he remains in contact with American Kickboxing Academy coach Javier Mendez. He said Makhachev and the group around him are doing great and are in great hands. Velasquez did not frame his comments around a single attribute. Instead, he identified Makhachev as a fighter who has mastered all aspects of MMA, a description that matches his expectation of another impressive victory.

The comments arrive before a title fight that will test whether Makhachev can continue the success of his welterweight debut in a championship defense. The source material describes Garry as confident about his chances despite the challenge in front of him. For Makhachev, the matchup is also an opportunity to further boost his legacy on MMA’s biggest stage after becoming a two-division UFC champion. Velasquez’s view is that the champion’s established approach will remain the decisive story: he expects Makhachev to keep doing what he has been doing, which is winning impressively. There is a specific recent reference point for that expectation. In his first fight after moving up from lightweight, Makhachev faced Della Maddalena and used his wrestling for five rounds. Garry will try to avoid the same type of outcome when he meets Makhachev at 170 pounds. The bout therefore places the champion’s all-around reputation alongside Garry’s stated belief that he can deliver an upset in Philadelphia.

What is confirmed for the UFC 330 main event

Makhachev versus Garry is presented as Makhachev’s first welterweight title defense, nine months after he won the championship. The fight will headline UFC 330 in Philadelphia, and the source material identifies the Xfinity Mobile Arena as the site where Garry plans to challenge the odds. Velasquez’s remarks do not add a new condition to the matchup; they provide the former champion’s view of why Makhachev should remain difficult to beat. His praise centered on Makhachev’s standing in the sport, the support system at American Kickboxing Academy and the champion’s ability across MMA. That leaves a clear contrast going into the contest. Garry is entering with confidence in an upset, while Velasquez is forecasting another performance consistent with Makhachev’s recent run and his dominant welterweight debut.

• Velasquez called Makhachev a special type of athlete and said he is one of the fighters at the pinnacle of the sport.
• Velasquez said he expects Makhachev to continue winning impressively, describing the champion as someone who has mastered all aspects of MMA.

Velasquez has made his position clear ahead of Makhachev’s meeting with Garry: he expects the welterweight champion to continue the run that made him a UFC titleholder in two divisions. Garry’s confidence supplies the opposing voice before UFC 330, but Velasquez pointed to Makhachev’s complete skill set, his preparation and his record of recent success as the reasons he anticipates more dominance from the champion.