UFC champ Islam Makhachev hints at August return

Islam Makhachev signaled an August return and identified Ian Garry as the frontrunner for his next welterweight title defense, clarifying the state of the UFC's near-term championship picture. In a UFC on TNT Sports interview, he said camp begins immediately with a likely August timeline for a welterweight title defense. He named Ian Garry the lead candidate, positioning Islam Makhachev vs Ian Garry as the leading option while noting other contenders remain. He spoke after attending PSG's Champions League win over Arsenal in Budapest. The UFC has not announced a bout. Makhachev moved up after four lightweight title defenses and beat Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 322.