Charles Oliveira: Ian Machado Garry Has a Very Good Chance to Beat Islam Makhachev at UFC 330
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Islam Makhachev forced Charles Oliveira to submit, kicking off his reign as UFC Lightweight Champion in 2022. Now, Oliveira's teammate, Ian Machado Garry, is set to step into the octagon on August 15th in Philadelphia, aiming to end the champion's undefeated streak and claim the UFC 330 Welterweight title.
Garry earned his shot at the 170-pound belt after defeating former contender Belal Muhammad in November 2025, and Oliveira revealed that the Irishman has been training specifically for Makhachev ever since.
“He knew he was next in line for the title,” Oliveira told MMA Fighting. “And since then, he’s been completely focused on this fight with Makhachev.”
At UFC 331, Makhachev will have the opportunity to break the record for the longest winning streak in UFC history, surpassing Anderson Silva with 17 consecutive victories, a plan Garry could derail. The Russian talent has defeated legends like Alexander Volkanovski, Dustin Poirier, and Oliveira himself in the 155-pound division before ascending to the welterweight throne with a win over Jack Della Maddalena a week before Garry overcame Muhammad. Oliveira sees the key to his teammate's victory in Philadelphia.
“Ian truly has a very good chance of beating Makhachev,” Oliveira said. “I’m not saying this because he’s my friend or because he’s part of our team, but because of what we’ve seen and the way he trains.”
“We know that on the other side, there’s an incredibly tough fighter who deserves all the respect in the world. He’s humble when promoting a fight, but in the cage, he’s extremely difficult to overcome. He’s exceptional, a truly tough fighter. But honestly, in my opinion, Ian has a great chance to win because he’s a very strategic fighter and never deviates from the game plan.”
Oliveira and his coaches from Chute Boxe in Sao Paulo have previously built training camps for Makhachev, and the UFC star believes all that knowledge has been beneficial in assisting Garry with his preparation.
“Whether you win or lose, once you’ve shared the cage with someone, you walk away with certain insights,” Oliveira said. “Especially from watching fights. Ian is very strategic; he studies a lot. Ian contributes a lot. We also contribute a lot, and the team constantly discusses: ‘What do you think about this, about that?’ Honestly, Ian is very well prepared. He’s really happy to have this opportunity to fight for the title. And I think the most important thing is that ever since he won his last fight, Ian already knew he was next. He already knew who his opponent would be. So Ian didn’t just start this training camp now; he’s been in camp and focused on this fight for a very long time. Ian is getting better every single day. He’s happier. He understands the opportunity before him. He knows the weapons he possesses and he knows the qualities of his jiu-jitsu.”
“The difference with Ian is his intelligence,” he continued. “He never deviates from the strategy. Whatever the team plans with him for the fight, he will follow it from start to finish. That’s what sets Ian apart. Once he adopts the game plan in his mind, he will stick to it until the very end. He won’t change it. That’s the difference Ian brings to the game, to the cage. That makes us happy because he never deviates from the plan and doesn’t lose focus. He gives 100%. He sticks to the strategy, no matter what happens, so I think it will be a great fight.”
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