"In Georgia he'll probably improve in some areas," Makhachev said via Ushatayka. "I've been wrestling my whole life, not just 2–3 months, so I don't care about that anymore.

Makhachev isn’t the first, and likely won’t be the last, to criticise Machado Garry’s nomadic approach to fighting. The Irishman has travelled the world in pursuit of improvement, spending time at Chute Boxe Diego Lima in Brazil alongside former Lightweight Champion Charles Oliveira, as well as Team Renegade in Birmingham, where he notably had a falling out with Leon Edwards and his team.

“The Future” began his career at Team KF in Dublin, Ireland, where he developed his foundational skills before making his professional turn, and is now in Georgia to sharpern even more tools.

Ian's Response

Ian Machado Garry isn’t backing down. The #2 ranked Welterweight posted a confident reply on Instagram, stating: “There is no one in the world who learns faster than me.”

It’s a bold claim, but one that aligns with the trajectory of his career so far. Machado Garry has already begun his move to Georgia, fulfilling a promise he made at the UFC Qatar post-fight press conference that he would travel there specifically to prepare for Makhachev’s wrestling-heavy style.

What's Next?

Per Leo Guimaraes, Makhachev vs. Garry is expected to be next for both fighters, with the Champion set to return post-Ramadan around May or June, potentially at the UFC's highly anticipated White House event on June 14th. Garry earned his shot with back-to-back decision wins over Carlos Prates and former champion Belal Muhammad.

Makhachev's grappling is arguably the best in the sport, and Garry's path to victory almost certainly runs through keeping the fight standing. Whether a few months in Georgia makes any real difference remains to be seen, but it at least shows Garry is leaving no stone unturned.

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