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Islam Makhachev respects Ian Machado Garry but all the hugs were too much at UFC 330: ‘This is a fight. This is not a game’

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3 weeks ago

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Islam Makhachev respects Ian Machado Garry but all the hugs were too much at UFC 330: ‘This is a fight. This is not a game’

Islam Makhachev respects all of his opponents, but that doesn't mean he needs to express those feelings at the beginning and end of every single round.

But that's exactly what Ian Machado Garry did on Saturday night as he was constantly shaking Makhachev's hand, hugging him or dapping him up during their fight. Garry apparently even offered words of encouragement at certain points during the five-round battle, and while Makhachev appreciated his opponen's graciousness, he wishes that was all saved until the UFC 330 fight was over.

“Honestly, I don't understand,†Makhachev said about Garry's actions during the UFC 330 post-fight press conference. “This is a fight. This is not something we have to hug each other every round. We're going to war. We're going to break the face, to break the eye. I respect all my opponents. But [maybe he's young]. He respects too much.

“I respect him. He's a good guy. Very kind. But this is a war. Look at my face. I just come to beat everything. It's not something you have to play. This is a fight. This is not a game.â€

While Garry's actions didn't change the result in the fight, Makhachev gave him credit for a job well done on Saturday night.

Throughout the 25 minute battle, Garry showcased solid takedown defense while stopping Makhchev from ever getting close to a potential submission.

That said, Makhachev was growing frustrated with Garry's refusal to really engage with him, which made it that much harder for him to set up grappling exchanges or other parts of his game plan he wanted to execute.

“Ian is a good opponent,†Makhachev said. “Very hard to fight with someone who stands and waits. He's just waiting and very hard to show a good performance with someone like that. He stands, I see his leg, I try to take him down. He has some good defense but very hard to show a good performance with someone like that.â€

Makhachev also said there were some slightly dirty moves happening in the octagon at UFC 330, especially when Garry apparently head butted him when they were battling for position on the ground.

When the fight ended, Makhachev realized that his nose was busted up and he believes that was a direct result of the blow Garry landed after they hit the ground during a takedown.

“He gave me too many scratches,†Makhachev said. “He gave me a very hard head butt at the end of the fourth round when I made him slam, you can see he gave me a back head butt. In the fight, I don't remember when my nose is bleeding and right away the blood is coming out. I thought maybe I broke the nose or something.

“He gave me a very hard head butt. It's OK. Hard fight. It makes you improve and I feel I improved.â€

As far as the future goes, Makhachev isn't slowing down or capping how many more fights he might have before retirement. Instead, the reigning UFC welterweight champion is already thinking about how he can get better from this performance and prepare for his next opponent as soon as he's healthy and ready to go again.

“I still have to gain some weight, try to be more big, more power and I have time,†Makhachev said. “What this fight showed me and showed everybody, it's not my hardest fight. It doesn't matter how this fight is going to go, easy or hard, from the first minute to the last minute to the last second, I'm going to war. I'm going to fight every second.â€

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MMA

Cris Cyborg wants to ‘save’ UFC 332 with Amanda Nunes revenge fight

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3 hours ago

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September 5, 2026

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Cris Cyborg wants to ‘save’ UFC 332 with Amanda Nunes revenge fight
Cris
Cyborg has offered the
Ultimate Fighting Championship a solution to its UFC 332
main event problem.

Cyborg took to social media to call for a rematch with former
two-division champion Amanda
Nunes, suggesting the fight could headline the Oct. 3 numbered
event in Salt Lake City, which still doesn't have an announced
headliner. The pair faced off back in 2018, when Nunes won via
first-round KO.

Cris Cyborg calls for Amanda Nunes rematch after UFC 332
headliner uncertainty

A women's flyweight title fight between Valentina
Shevchenko and Natalia
Silva was rumored for UFC 332, but recent reports indicate
Shevchenko has been forced to withdraw. With other UFC champions
having recently fought or already booked for later events, the
promotion appears to be scrambling to find a viable headliner.

Cyborg has offered a solution. The former UFC champ took to X to
call for a rematch with her former foe, Nunes. The latter was
expected to take on Kayla
Harrison earlier this year, but a neck injury to Harrison saw
the matchup fall through.

“[Amanda Nunes] tired of waiting for [Kayla Harrison]?†Cyborg
wrote on X. “Feel like saving an UFC event?â€

They initially squared off at
UFC 232 in December 2018, when Nunes emerged victorious to
become a double champ. “The Lioness†retired in 2023, while Cyborg
most recently competed at
PFL Tampa on Aug. 22, defeating Ketlen
Vieira by unanimous decision in what was expected to be her
final mixed martial arts bout.

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MMA

UFC Paris: 'Hooker vs. Parnasse' Live Results and Highlights

Published

5 hours ago

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September 5, 2026

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UFC Paris: 'Hooker vs. Parnasse' Live Results and Highlights
Trending:

NSAC doubles down on punishment for UFC 329 fighters, fines Paddy Pimblett and two other big names

The Octagon returns to France for today's UFC Paris event, a 14-bout fight card headlined by Dan Hooker vs. Salahdine Parnasse.

Hooker (24-14 MMA) will enter the contest with hopes of snapping a two-fight losing skid. ‘The Hangman' most previously competed this past February at UFC 325 in Sydney, where he suffered a second-round TKO loss to Benoit Saint Denis. That setback was preceded by a submission loss to Arman Tsarukyan in November of last year. Prior to those defeats, Dan Hooker had put together a three-fight winning streak, a stretch which included victories over Jalin Turner and Mateusz Gamrot.

Meanwhile, Salahdine Parnasse (23-2 MMA) will be making his Octagon debut this evening in Paris. The former two-division KSW champion will enter the contest on a five-fight winning streak, with his most recent victory coming over Kenneth Cross at May's ‘Rousey vs. Carano' MVP MMA event.

Today's UFC Paris event is co-headlined by a lightweight bout featuring Fares Ziam taking on Axel Sola.

Ziam (18-5 MMA) will enter the contest looking to rebound, this after suffering a decision loss to Tom Nolan in his most recent Octagon appearance this past June. Prior to that setback, the ‘Smile Killer' had strung together a six-fight winning streak, a stretch which included knockout victories over Matt Frevola and Nazim Sadykhov.

Meanwhile, Axel Sola (12-1-1 MMA) most previously competed this past July, where he scored a first-round submission victory over Ismael Bonfim. Prior to that triumph, the Frenchman was coming off the first loss of his professional career which he suffered at the hands of Mason Jones by way of unanimous decision.

If that wasn't enough to get you interested, today's UFC Paris main card lineup also features a highly anticipated middleweight contest between Michael Page and Nursulton Ruziboev.

Michael ‘Venom' Page walking out at UFC London. Credit: Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC

Page (25-3 MMA) will enter the bout on a three-fight winning streak, this after scoring decision victories over Sharabutdin Magomedov, Jared Cannonier and Sam Patterson in his most recent Octagon appearances. Prior to those triumphs, ‘Venom' had suffered a decision loss to recent UFC welterweight title challenger Ian Machado Garry.

Meanwhile, Nursulton Ruziboev (37-9-2 MMA) also currently boasts a three-fight winning streak, with his most recent Octagon victory coming over Andrey Pulyaev via submission this past June. The Uzbekistan native has gone 12-1 over his past thirteen fights overall.

Get all of today's live results and highlights below:

UFC Paris Main Card (3pm EST on Paramount+)

Lightweight: Dan Hooker vs. Salahdine Parnasse –

Lightweight: Farès Ziam vs. Axel Sola –

Middleweight: Michael Page vs. Nursulton Ruziboev –

Welterweight: Daniil Donchenko vs. Punahele Soriano –

Featherweight: Kurtis Campbell vs. Trevor Peek –

Featherweight: Losene Keita vs. Muhammad Naimov –

UFC Paris Prelims (12pm EST on Paramount+)

Featherweight: Morgan Charrière vs. Felipe Lima –

Heavyweight: Mário Pinto vs. Ryan Spann –

Light Heavyweight – Oumar Sy vs. Modestas Bukauskas – Bukauskas def. Sy via TKO (knee and punches) at 3:57 of Round 2

Featherweight: Nathaniel Wood vs. Pavel Andrusca – Andrusca def. Wood by unanimous decision (30-27 x2, 29-28)

Flyweight: Michael Aljarouj vs. Fabià Sintes – Sintes def. Aljarouj by unanimous decision (29-28 x2, 29-27)

Women's Bantamweight: Nora Cornolle vs. Klaudia Syguła – Cornolle def. Syguła by unanimous decision (30-27 x3)

Middleweight: Matthieu Letho Duclos vs. Luis Felipe Dias – Duclos def. Dias via TKO (punches) at 4:35 of Round 1

Women's Strawweight: Delphine Benouaich vs. Sofia Montenegro – Benouaich def. Montenegro via technical submission (rear-naked choke) at 4:22 of Round 2

Who are you picking to win today's event headliner between Dan Hooker and Salahdine Parnasse? Share your predictions in the comment section PENN Nation!

This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM

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MMA

Movsar Evloev has a blunt response to Alexander Volkanovski’s UFC 333 plan

Published

7 hours ago

on

September 5, 2026

By

Movsar Evloev has a blunt response to Alexander Volkanovski’s UFC 333 plan
While Movsar
Evloev is grateful to be taking on a legend in his maiden title
bout in the
Ultimate Fighting Championship, the Russian foresees one-way
traffic.

Evloev (20-0) is set to challenge Volkanovski (28-4) for the UFC
featherweight championship in the
UFC 333 main event on Oct. 24 in Abu Dhabi. The matchup has
been brewing for quite some time now and Evloev claims his skills
have improved, predicting he'll have his way against the two-time
Aussie champ.

Movsar Evloev questions Alexander Volkanovski's strategy ahead
of their UFC 333 title fight

Evloev opened up about his upcoming fight with Volkanovski in an
interview with MMA Junkie, in which he outlined his improvements in
the striking department.

“To become a champion while beating a legend, that’s the dream of
fighters,†Evloev said. “My skills are getting better. My striking,
everyone noticed, is a little bit better than I do before. We’re
confident to fight with a guy like Alex. We respect him. We’ll
respect him even after we beat him. Nothing but respect, but this
is my time.â€

Volkanovski has previously expressed confidence in his ability to
deal with Evloev’s wrestling pressure and force the fight into a
striking battle. The latter questions the champ's approach.

“He's been a little illogical,†Evloev added. “I will do anything I
want. Whenever I decide to take him down, I will take him down… I’m
not scared of his striking skills, too. He’s great. But like I
said, my time is coming. Oct. 24, everybody will see. I’m going to
win.â€

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