Dominick Cruz shares verdict on Ian Machado Garry vs Islam Makhachev at UFC 330

Former American mixed martial artist and sports analyst Dominick Cruz has shared his verdict on the title fight between Ian Machado Garry and Islam Makhachev at UFC 330.

Makhachev will defend his title for the first time against Ireland's Ian Garry (17-1) at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia on Saturday.

Makhachev (28-1) moved to the welterweight division after defending his lightweight title four times in the UFC. He dethroned Jack Della Maddalena to win the 170-pound crown last year.

Gary, 28, is ranked number one in the welterweight division, and last fought in November, defeating Belal Muhammad, and has won 10 of 11 UFC bouts since joining in 2021 after Cage Warriors success.

In a recent interview, Cruz said that the fight is great and Ian Machado Garry will not be an easy opponent for Islam Makhachev.

“Ian Garry is good at making people fight his style of fight,” Cruz said.

“Shavkat (Rakhmonov) beat him, but still that was close, and Shavkat was able to beat him at his own game. Can Makhachev do that? I don’t know. It’s a great fight.”

Cruz then analysed the tactics of both fighters and suggested a fight strategy for both.

“Ian Garry wants to keep this an uncomfortable fight for Makhachev,” Cruz said.

“And the easiest way to do that is to stop the first three takedowns of every round and keep the distance where Ian Garry is comfortable and Makhachev wants to get closer. The more he can do that, the further away that Ian Garry can get ahead on the scorecards, I think. On the other end, if Makhachev can take him down in the first three takedowns, it goes the other way.”

The American then concluded by saying that he sees a chance of Garry upsetting Islam.

“I do think that moving up a weight class and fighting Ian Garry, I do see a good chance of a potential upset for sure,” Cruz said.