Published July 27, 2026
The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) star Islam Makhachev, who is set to defend his welterweight title against Irish fighter Ian Machado Garry, has brushed off concerns regarding Charles Oliveira training his opponent.
Taking to X, several combat sport fans expressed that Oliveira has in-ring experience with Makhachev and he might be able to help Garry against Russian fighters.
Oliveira and Makhachev fought in the Octagon at UFC 280 on October 22, 2022, in which Makhachev defeated Oliveira via a second-round submission.
After fans said that Garry, the 28-year-old, 6-foot-and-3-inches tall MMA athlete might tap into Brazilian’s fighter’s knowledge to defeat the 34-year-old Russian. Makhachev has now taken a hit at Oliveira, saying, “Charles gonna teach him how to tap fast, that's it.”
Talking about his plan for the fight, Makhachev said that he knows his opponent’s game plan, adding, “We always watch his fights, and he always has the same style. But I will try to catch him, take him down, just what I did to all my opponents.”
When asked if his fight is a continuation of rivalry between Irish and Russian fighters from the previous Khabib Nurmagomedov vs Conor McGregor fight, the Russian superstar said that it is just another regular fight and nothing between countries.
Makhachev comes into UFC 330 with a professional record of 28 wins and 1 loss (28-1-0), while Garry’s professional score was 17 wins and 1 loss (17-1-0). The fight is scheduled for Saturday, August 15, 2026, as the main event for UFC 330.