Demian Maia detailed Ian Garry's adaptability before UFC 330. |
📷: Marcelo Alonso/Sherdog

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Demian
Maia believes Ian Garry is
equipped to upset Islam
Makhachev.

Garry (17-1) is scheduled to challenge Makhachev (28-1) for the

Ultimate Fighting Championship welterweight title in the main
event of UFC
330 on Aug. 15 at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia. Maia
recently discussed Garry's preparation and dissected the
matchup.

Ian Garry prepares for Islam Makhachev with help from Demian
Maia ahead of UFC 330

Maia has been a crucial part of Garry's fight camps since they
first met at a seminar in Barcelona in 2023 and the jiu-jitsu
legend recently revealed that he helped Garry in Spain before the
Irishman went back to England to finish the final phase of his camp
for UFC 330.

“Our partnership started in 2023,†Maia told Sherdog's Marcelo
Alonso. “I went to teach a seminar at a friend’s academy in
Barcelona, and Ian and his wife reached out to me. He came to train
with me, and ever since then he’s been coming to Brazil regularly.
Last week I traveled to Spain to teach another seminar, and we
spent several days together doing an intensive camp focused on what
we believe he needs to do in the grappling exchanges against Islam.
He finished the final stage of his camp in England with his
jiu-jitsu coach, John
Hathaway, who also fought in the UFC in our weight class.â€

Makhachev is the No. 1 pound-for-pound UFC fighter and a -300
favorite going into his clash against Garry. However, many believe
Garry's frame and defensive savviness will pose a threat to
Makhachev's dominant run. Notably, Maia doesn't think Garry's
distance management is his biggest strength.

Ian Garry's fight IQ highlighted ahead of UFC 330 title fight
with Islam Makhachev

According to Maia, Garry's fight IQ separates him from other
fighters. The Brazilian claims to have taught the Irish
welterweight a takedown variation during the fight week of his win
against Carlos
Prates last year, which “The Future” executed 10 times in the
bout.

“Some people say he’s the toughest matchup for Islam because he has
excellent takedown defense, longer reach, outstanding cardio, and
he’s a complete fighter, but I think his biggest strength is his
fight IQ,†Maia added. “Garry reads his opponents extremely well
and knows how to adapt. When he fought Carlos Prates, I showed him
a variation of a takedown during fight week, and he executed it
perfectly about 10 times during the fight. He’s someone who learns
very quickly and knows how to make life difficult for his
opponents.â€

Despite his confidence in Garry's skillset, Maia isn't
underestimating the challenge that Makhachev poses. He believes the
Dagestani welterweight champion could stand his own against elite
opponents in no-gi jiu jitsu.

“I expect a very tough fight. Islam is one of the greatest fighters
of all time. His jiu-jitsu is of an extremely high level. I’d even
say he could compete successfully in elite no-gi Brazilian
jiu-jitsu tournaments. So, it’s going to be a historical title
dispute.â€

Maia also confirmed that he will be in Garry’s corner on fight
night alongside Diego Lima, John Hathaway and Paulo Mauricio
Strauch.

Dana
White believes the
Ultimate Fighting Championship emerged from the Covid-19
pandemic stronger because the promotion refused to stop
evolving.

The UFC CEO reflected on the organization’s response when the
sporting world came to a standstill in the spring of 2020. While
many organizations were forced to suspend operations, White said
the UFC’s priority was finding a way to continue staging events
despite widespread shutdowns and travel restrictions.

The UFC CEO recalls creating Fight Island after pandemic
shutdowns threatened events

During his recent appearance on “The Pivot” podcast, White said
that the promotion had three priorities as they entered the
pandemic. They wanted to keep every employee on payroll, fulfill
their contractual obligations to fighters and continue delivering
events for their broadcast partner, ESPN.

“I talked to the governor and told him I could put on fights,â€
White recalled, reflecting on the obstacles they faced. “I just
needed production guys. We could social distance, wear masks, do
all the things they required. And he told me I couldn't do it.â€

White said the UFC then began exploring alternatives.

“I was like, ‘Well, you know what? I'll go to a deserted island
somewhere, set up an Octagon, and do it,'†White said. “That's how
Fight Island was created, and our sport grew 77% during COVID.â€

The UFC ultimately established its Fight Island bubble on Yas
Island in Abu Dhabi, allowing the promotion to continue holding
international events while much of the sports world remained
dormant. This kept the UFC afloat and even led to a surge in
popularity.

By April 2021, the UFC was once again welcoming fans to events in
the United States, and three months later returned to T-Mobile
Arena in Las Vegas for
UFC 264, headlined by a trilogy bout between Dustin
Poirier and Conor
McGregor. Looking back, White said the challenges of the
pandemic reinforced the culture he has tried to build within the
organization.

“That's why when it's time to run into the fire, my team runs with
me,†he added. “You find out who everybody is when hard times
hit.â€

Longtime referee Herb Dean has been under fire since officiating Alex Pereira's loss at UFC Freedom 250, but he's got some support.

Dean was on officiating duties when Pereira faced Ciryl Gane for the interim UFC Heavyweight Championship back in June. “Poatan†suffered a second-round TKO loss, but he has since complained about illegal strikes to the back of the head. Pereira has gone full tilt in his criticism of Dean, even calling for his job.

Amid the harsh critiques, CSAC executive director Andy Foster told MMAFighting.com that he doesn't think Dean made an egregious mistake during Pereira's defeat to “Bon Gamin.â€

“The thing with Gane and Pereira, I was there. I was watching that in real time,†Foster said. “That didn't look anything different … that looked like a normal fight to me. That looked like a normal fight. I think what started that series was the punch that put [Pereira] on the ground. I know that's what started that series. He's obviously trying to finish him. [Pereira] is trying to get back in the fight.

“There was no doubt a few of them got through and hit [the back of the head]. The question is what do you do in that situation? Do you stop the action? Because I don't think many referees would have, if any, certainly at the high level. What do you do with that situation? Tell me that's not something that you've seen before. I think what started that series was the knockdown. That was the case.â€

Dean has also faced criticism as of late for bouts outside of UFC Freedom 250. Fans took the veteran referee to task after he failed to deduct a point from Sharaputdin Magomedov in his foul-marred UFC Baku bout with Michel Pereira. “Shara Bullet†grabbed Pereira's hair and delivered a low blow, but he only received a warning.

While the likes of Pereira, Tom Aspinall, and Brendan Schaub have expressed issues with Dean, others such as “Big†John McCarthy have cut him some slack.

Do you agree with Andy Foster, or is Herb Dean being protected by CSAC and other athletic commissions? Drop your take in the comments below.