Islam
Makhachev is settling in nicely at welterweight, which gives
him even more confidence.

Makhachev (28-1) recently revealed that his training camp for his

Ultimate Fighting Championship welterweight debut was
challenging and that he's better adjusted to the higher weight
class going into his first title defense at 170 pounds. The former
lightweight champ takes on Ian Garry
(17-1) in the main event of UFC
330, which takes place Aug. 15 at Xfinity Mobile Arena in
Philadelphia.

Islam Makhachev details his transition from lightweight
champion to UFC welterweight titleholder

Makhachev was focused primarily on securing the belt rather than
chasing a finish against Jack
Della Maddalena last year. The Russian claims to be more
comfortable going into his second welterweight outing, as he isn't
lifting weights during camp.

“Now, I feel more comfortable, honestly,†Makhachev told MMA
Junkie. “The first camp, so hard. I just tried to gain weight, do a
lot of lifting program, but this camp I stay at the same weight.
I’m not going to go down. Now, I’m like real welterweight. This
camp I think is more easy, but you can’t say it’s easy, because
we’re not lifting much.â€

Makhachev now wants a finish after his title-winning effort came
via decision. Given that his body is more suited to the weight
class, he's open to taking risks in order to force a stoppage
inside 25 minutes.

“This fight, I will take more risks to finish my opponent, because
I like finishing my opponents,†Makhachev added. “This fight, I
think honestly, from the first time when I take him down, I have a
chance to finish him, because I saw his ground game – it’s not so
good, you know? He has good striking, long reach, long arm, and he
controls the distance, always goes back, but I see when I take him
down, it’s going to be a finish.”

Zabit
Magomedsharipov is set to make his first competitive combat
sports appearance in nearly seven years.

The former
Ultimate Fighting Championship featherweight takes on Youssef
Zalal in the main event of ACBJJ 22 on Aug. 30 in Istanbul,
Turkey. Kerim
Engizek and Belal
Muhammad will also be a part of the grappling event.

Zabit Magomedsharipov returns after UFC run ended in 2019

The ACBJJ 22 main event will pit Magomedsharipov against Zalal, an
active 145-pound contender in the UFC. This marks his first
competitive outing since his last Octagon appearance, which came in
2019 against Calvin
Kattar.

The Russian enjoyed an impressive run in the Octagon between 2017
and 2019, emerging as a fan favorite thanks to his flashy striking
and memorable finishes. However, after a bout against Yair
Rodriguez fell through, Magomedsharipov stepped away from the
sport. He was previously scheduled to face Raul Rosas
Jr. in a grappling match in July but withdrew because of an
undisclosed injury.

Meanwhile, Zalal's strong second stint in the UFC came to an end at
the hands of former champ Aljamain
Sterling in April. “The Moroccan Devil†was riding an
eight-fight win streak before losing to Sterling.

Ultimate Fighting Championship CEO Dana
White believes Ian Garry
possesses one key attribute that could trouble Islam
Makhachev.

Makhachev is set to make his first 170-pound title defense when he
meets Garry in the UFC
330 main event on Aug. 15 at Xfinity Mobile Arena in
Philadelphia. White recently highlighted what makes the Irish
challenger a “serious threat†to the welterweight title.

Dana White explains why Ian Garry's takedown defense could
challenge Islam Makhachev at UFC 330

White pointed to Garry’s defensive wrestling as a potential
equalizer against Makhachev. He said that if “The Future†proves
too difficult to take down, the champion could struggle to impose
his will.

“I think it’s a great fight, actually,†White told The Mac Life.
“If you look at what Ian Garry has been able to do, he frustrates
people. His takedown defense has been excellent and we’ll see if he
can stay on his feet. Obviously, if he can stay off the ground, he
poses a serious threat to Islam.â€

Makhachev put on a wrestling clinic against Jack
Della Maddalena to win the welterweight title and has
previously submitted the likes of Charles
Oliveira, Dustin
Poirier and Dan Hooker.
The only title fight in which the Dagestani fighter struggled was
his first bout with Alexander
Volkanovski, who displayed tremendous takedown defense to push
Makhachev to the limit.

Garry has emerged as one of the most defensively sound fighters in
the UFC, making him a tricky stylistic matchup for Makhachev.