An intriguing matchup between UFC welterweight champion Islam Makhachev and Ian Machado Garry is in the works for the upcoming UFC 330 card.
According to MMA journalist Alvaro Colmenero, who is well-connected in the space, the UFC is working towards booking Makhachev vs. Machado Garry for UFC 330, which takes place on August 15 at Xfinity Mobile Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The fight is not signed yet, but active negotiations are taking place.
“I said it a while back, but the fight that’s being negotiated is Islam Makhachev vs. Ian Garry, according to my sources. Morales is already out of this title shot. Presumably, it’ll be in August in Philadelphia, at UFC 330, though Islam has already pointed toward the IFW in some message,” Colmenero wrote on X.
Both Makhachev and Machado have been teasing a fight inside the Octagon on social media in recent days. Makhachev hinted at UFC 329 in Las Vegas as the date, but that is the rumored date for the return of superstar Conor McGregor, so UFC 330 makes more sense for a fight with him and Machado Garry. With the UFC starting to release fights for the third quarter of 2026, it makes sense that they would be in negotiations to get the fight between the two welterweight stars done.
Islam Makhachev is the No. 1 P4P Fighter in MMA
Makhachev is the top pound-for-pound fighter in MMA, and it’s for good reason, given he is 17-1 in the UFC, including his current 16-fight win streak. The 34-year-old Russian last fought at UFC 322 last November in New York City, where he defeated Jack Della Maddalena to win the UFC welterweight division. He is also the former UFC lightweight champion, so Makhachev is one of the few multi-division champions in UFC history.
As for Machado Garry, he is 10-1 in the UFC. The 28-year-old Irish native has won his last two fights in a row, including beating the former UFC welterweight champion, Belal Muhammad, in his last fight. Other than a loss to Shavkat Rakhmonov, a welterweight standout who has been on the shelf over 500 days due to injuries, Machado Garry has been perfect inside the Octagon. He is well deserving of this title shot against Makhachev, although he will no doubt enter this bout as a considerable underdog, given that Makhachev is the P4P best fighter in the world.
What’s Next for Michael Morales?
As far as Morales goes, sources close to Heavy.com confirmed he is out of the running for the welterweight title shot, and that the UFC is considering booking Morales against Della Maddalena, should he defeat Carlos Prates next weekend at UFC Perth. The source also said that UFC CBO Hunter Campbell is enamoured with Morales and sees him as the future of the division.
Morales is just 26, and he is 7-0 in the UFC with five knockout wins. In his last bout, he knocked out Sean Brady to pick up the biggest win of his career. That fight took place last November at UFC 322, so Morales has been on the shelf for six months. But he should be back soon, and after recently meeting with Campbell in Las Vegas, Morales and the UFC have a plan for his career.
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