Islam Makhachev Prepares for Ian Garry with PFL Champion Sparring Partner

Islam Makhachev (28-1) is set to defend his 170-pound UFC championship for the first time against Ian Garry (17-1) at UFC 330 on August 15 at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia. Garry is known for his excellent distance management and long-range strikes, but Islam Makhachev's coach, Javier Mendez, already has a plan to counter this.

What happened?

Mendez recently revealed that PFL lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov (21-0) is one of Islam Makhachev's primary training partners, closely mimicking Garry's style in their sparring sessions. Nurmagomedov is considered among the best fighters in the world competing outside the UFC and has a perfect record of 21 wins.

Why it matters for Islam Makhachev

Mendez is confident that Nurmagomedov can copy almost any style, making him the perfect sparring partner for Islam Makhachev. "Usman is the best sparring partner you want to have," Mendez said. "Usman's at another level. People who have never seen him should tune in to this kid. Because he is special... Usman would be the one individual that can mimic almost anybody. He would be the closest to Ian Garry for us."

What comes next?

Islam Makhachev will face Ian Garry at UFC 330 on August 15, and with Nurmagomedov's help, he is well-prepared to defend his title. Nurmagomedov will exhaust his current PFL contract when he puts his lightweight title on the line against Archie Colgan (13-0) on July 31 at UBS Arena in Long Island, New York.

Islam Makhachev's upcoming title defense against Ian Garry is shaping up to be an exciting matchup, and with the help of PFL champion Usman Nurmagomedov, he is confident in his ability to emerge victorious.