UFC 330: Islam Makhachev full media day interview
UFC 330 fighter Islam Makhachev spoke to MMA Junkie and reporters at media day for his main event title bout vs. Ian Machado Garry.
Video Transcript
Hey, Islam, over here.
Your first time going into a fight with two belts sitting in front of you like this, this is everything you dreamed of, right?
So how, how good does it make you feel?
It's make me smile when I see two belts here.
Yesterday, we walk to the face-to-face, they just give me one belt.
I'm a little bit upset, now it's good.
Speaking of the face-off yesterday, Ian was in here earlier, and he said he felt nervous energy from you in the face-off, and that you didn't want to be there.
What did you make of that, and what do you make of those comments from him?
Man, I don't know.
How I just Not like something I want to go there, like, I've been there before also, and, I don't see anything from his eyes.
I just see his eyes and I'm not nervous.
I am This is, like, my second fight week in my life where I am enjoying every moment.
Was the last one the first?
Yeah, the last one and this one.
Yeah.
And a lot of people are make, you know, talking about what you two would look like next to each other.
Is he much bigger than you?
It didn't seem like he was that much taller.
Did you notice that as well?
Yeah, I tell the Rizwan, UFC have to check my tall again because this was 10 years ago first time.
Now I'm a little bit taller.
Also at the face-off yesterday, apparently Ian's son is a big fan of yours, and he wanted to meet you, and he started crying when he couldn't.
What do you think of that, and will you, give him the opportunity to meet you this week?
Yeah, yeah, sure.
We will meet him.
I don't see him there, but we, I, I make him happy.
Islam, right here.
Ian was in here, and he said that his fight against you, he feels, is the highest level of martial artists competing against each other, you versus him, that we've had in a long time.
So when you do watch Ian's skill set and tape and everything, is he that skilled and possibly the most skilled opponent you've had?
I don't know, maybe, like, in the welterweight, if you watch the last fight, Masvidal, it's like more boxer.
But I think Ian have more skills, you know.
He's good on the striking.
He have good wrestling defense.
But he have some weak point.
He's not completely, like, 100% like myself.
But he's good.
It's gonna be good fight and I saw he have, like, good takedown defense and Oh, I have some things to, to, some- I have some key to beat him easy.
Islam, Ian said that his last four opponents are much better than your last four opponents.
I'm curious if you agree with that assessment and what you think of the people that he's faced.
Last four?
Before he say last five.
Last five.
And, and, and I've said, like, why he don't, respect his teammate, Charles Oliveira?
Now he say why last four.
I don't know.
When he have good opponents, he just lose.
That's it.
When he have Shavkat, if he talk too much, just look at your fight.
That guy beat you four rounds.
That's it.
Earlier today, Ian said that he beat Shavkat for 24 minutes.
Was that right?
Yeah.
Carlos.
Oh, Carlos, excuse me.
He just Ah, Carlos.
Yeah, sorry about that.
He can beat Carlos, but, he can beat everyone, but I'm not same, like, like, like that guys.
I'm different.
Do you agree with, I saw your manager say this, do you agree that Ian is gonna run from you throughout the fight?
Sure.
He have same style or, or every, every fights.
He just run back, and he just working for the point.
I don't remember when he finished someone last time.
Yeah.
Last one from me.
What do you make of Ian as a person, right?
Sometimes he does interviews and says things, and people react badly.
I'm curious if you ever watch his interviews and what you think of Ian.
Can you repeat the question?
What do you think of Ian as a person?
Sometimes he does interviews- Person?
Yeah.
Yeah.
He's, I think he's good person, good guy, but he act like he's, like, bad boy, something like this.
But I tell in the interview also, we will make him humble.
We will make him good guy.
Islam, back here.
You, Khabib, now Chanko, there's so many great fighters from Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov's school.
Who are the next fighters we'll see in the UFC?
Like, who What's the future?
Do you have some names?
Usman.
I think Usman.
We have to see him next.
I hope so too.
And I saw that you had a fan that had cancer, and you offered him tickets for the fight.
Did you get to meet him?
Is he coming to Philly?
That was a very special story.
They come Thursday or Friday.
We'll meet them.
UFC give them tickets.
We book them hotel, flights, and I want to see this guy.
Very nice.
Islam, over here.
Michael Morales was called to be the official backup for this fight.
He's looking for a chance, for the title show.
What can you, what do you think about him or, or his chance to, to be a, a contender for the title?
Yeah, he's a good contender.
One of the contender for sure, and just one things I don't understand why he don't fight.
He have to deserve because Prates is still active.
He's still fighting.
But I don't know.
I don't want to watch, like, behind Ian Garry because I have good opponent.
After that, no matter who is gonna be next, Prates or Morales.
Okay.
One of your training partners for, is gonna be fighting in this card, Joel Alvarez.
What can you say about him, like, his, his skills and why do you c- call him to prepare for this fight against Ian?
Because he's a good striker.
He's also tall, long reach, and, we did Good rounds with him and, in good shape.
He just take the fight short notice, like two weeks, and I think he's gonna good- show good performance because we spar and I see he's in good shape.
And you just mentioned that Usman is one of the next fighters for the UFC.
How People is talking about a potential match up against Justin if he gets into the UFC.
How do you see this match up that, because you know, Justin?
You know, Usman is training with us when he was, like, very young guy, you know?
And he, he training with Khabib, myself, with all, all our teammates all life, you know?
And I know 100% he ready to fight, like, for the title tomorrow or for the contender match tomorrow because he's a good, he's good wrestler, he's good, very good striker, he have good grappling, you know?
That's why I, I think, my opinion, Usman did his job great in, PFL and he ready to show good performance in UFC.
Thank you.
Islam, over here.
So what was your reaction when you heard you're gonna be headlining this event here in Philadelphia for their first UFC event in seven years?
Reaction?
I don't know.
Reaction, I just, because, you know, last two camp I did in New Jersey and I just check how far the New Jersey from Philly, you know?
I was like ve- very happy because I like you to stay in New Jersey because we have great, great, team there, gym there, you know?
And, I love to training in New Jersey.
And that's it.
And when you're looking at your opponent, what do you think will be your biggest challenge going against him?
No, it's not gonna be my biggest challenge.
He just good, you know?
I give him respect.
He have good skills, but everybody knows my game and, we'll see what, how he prepare for that.
Islam, over here.
Obviously your grappling is probably the best in the UFC right now.
If there ever is a point in this fight where you're unable to get the take down, could you purely outstrike Ian Garry?
Yeah, sure.
Like, watch my fights against Volkanovski, against Dustin Poirier.
I can strike with anyone, but the both fight where I strike with these guys is, more this, like, hard fight for me, you know?
That's why if wrestling not working, grappling not working, I can strike with anyone.
But if I want the easy win, I have to take them down and finish them.
Sure.
And Ian Garry said that becoming a vegan kinda took his performance to another level.
Is that something you'd ever consider?
No, bro.
It's not, it's not Dagestan style, bro.
We, we, our, our all traditional food about meat.
Gotcha.
Thank you.
Islam, over here.
Ian talked a lot about his family and the presence of his family.
I know you like to keep that private, but I was just, wondering if you could tell us, how many kids you have and if any of them are training in any sports.
Now I have three kid.
They just still small, you know?
For future, I don't know.
I don't want my kids to be, like, fighters.
Maybe, well, for sure in Dagestan you, when you go to the school you have to go wrestling or somewhere.
They are training, but we'll see.
If they want, I just not stop them, you know?
I just help them.
But I don't want my kids to be some professional fighters or, like, some other sports.
Because, when I'm grew up and my mother and father always far from me, you know?
Because I always traveling, always, like, in training camp, in fighting.
But I want to stay with my kids.
And as- Because already, bro, they are like five, seven, six years old, I don't see them a lot.
And speaking of, younger, Khabib was on the Lex Fridman Podcast and he told a story about, him and his brother fighting in a Sambo fight on the street.
I just wanted to know if you remember this and if you have any memories using Sambo outside of the octagon.
Sambo.
Yeah, sure.
Sambo, the Sambo, it's mean like dif- not, I, like I was in the Sambo federation couple of days ago and I just told there also, Sambo it's not just to help to become, like, best fighter in the world like myself, Federem Ernyika, Khabib Nurmagomedov, you know?
It just, not just become fighter.
Just Sambo is the best sport to defend yourself, you know?
When you have some problem in the street you always have some clothes, you know?
It's not wrestling.
You can grab, do some things like Sambo style.
That's why I think Sambo is the, the best sport for not just become fighter, just defend yourself.
Thank you.
For example, jujitsu, bro, if you want defend yourself you have to lay down.
But Sambo you can beginning from up.
How important is it for you to continue to be recognized as pound for pound best fighter in the world, not only to just win, but put on dominant performances so you continue to be, recognized pound for pound best in the world?
Yeah.
It's the, it's the, like, first thing which I like to hear when people just put me in the first place, you know?
And I understand, like everybody understand I'm the, like, best fight, like, you know?
When you, like, spend all your life for this sports and you, when you become, like, best fighter in the world it's, it's great, you know?
It's make me happy every day.
, . . , ?
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Quick question for me.
Just was there anybody in your camp who was there to emulate your opponent, Ian Garry?
Yeah, I, I, , , , .
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Yes, I had, Joel Alvarez, who's also gonna be fighting on this card.
I also had Usman Ramagomedov, sparred with him.
Amru Ramagomedov, he's also taller than me.
And, yeah, they specifically were there for me to emulate my, my opponent.
If you even look at, Joel Alvarez, he's kind of even a little taller than, than Ian.
Just last one here to go back to Usman.
I think a lot of people think he'll have to win one fight in the UFC before getting a title shot.
If it was up to you, who would you like to see Usman fight in his UFC debut?
Who is the one of the contender right now in the fight weight?
So Arman and Roofy are fighting in LA, and then there's Charles, Ilya has to come back, Paddy's there, Benoit, Quillen just won.
Yeah, maybe Arman or Max.
I don't know.
I agree with you.
He have to fight one times to Because this is like one of the, like, one of the big division in UFC, you know?
And, come from other division and fight for the title.
I think it's not-- it's possible, but I think he have to come feel this atmosphere, feel this all media, everything, and, fight for the title next, you know?
Just one fight and other one for the title.
Thank you, guys.
