Michael Chiesa: Islam Makhachev 'just better everywhere' than Ian Machado Garry
· Yahoo Sports
Michael Chiesa doesn't like Ian Machado Garry's chances vs. Islam Makhachev.
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Machado Garry (17-1 MMA, 10-1 UFC) challenges welterweight champion Makhachev (28-1 MMA, 17-1 UFC) in the UFC 330 main event on Aug. 15 at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia.
Makhachev will look to break the record for most consecutive wins in UFC history. He is a massive favorite against Machado Garry, and Chiesa thinks rightfully so.
"I think that Islam Makhachev beats Ian Machado Garry, and I don't see a world where Carlos Prates beats Islam Makhachev," Chiesa told MMA Junkie. "The only guy that I really thought could have gave Islam an interesting fight was Sean Brady. Because of the wrestling and the grappling. Obviously he's kind of fallen back down the ladder. Michael Morales is waiting in the wings. It all depends on how long Islam wants to stick around.
"He wins this one, you can definitely put in the talks of greatest of all time. If he sticks around and wins another two fights on top of that? You've surpassed 'The Eagle.' You've surpassed Khabib and everything that he's done. You've surpassed the Anderson Silvas, the Georges St-Pierres, the Demetrious Johnsons, the Hall of Famers. I think there's a world where we start talking about Islam Makhachev being the greatest of all time over Jon Jones, and over everyone where else."
Machado Garry has just one-career loss which came against Shavkat Rakhmonov at UFC 310. He has since rebounded with back-to-back wins over Carlos Prates and former champion Belal Muhammad. Despite Machado Garry's impressive run, Chiesa says Makhachev presents a different kind of challenge.
"I think he's just better everywhere," Chiesa said. "If things go south on the feet, there's no way he doesn't take Ian Garry down. These guys are just different. You don't understand. These guys coming out of the Eastern Blok of the world spent their entire lives wrestling. You don't know what it's like. When they get their hands locks on a leg or a body lock, there's nod defending the takedown. You've just got to figure out how to get up once you get taken down. That's going to be the biggest struggle for Ian.
"I think there's got to be more emphasis on: How do I get up once I'm taken down over the takedown defense? Because I just don't see a world where if Islam starts losing on the feet, that Ian Garry doesn't get taken down. But he's really good, really crafty. He was reaching out to me to be a sparring partner and I was like, 'I'm retired dude. We should've done this (before).' He just has a really tough, uphill battle against Islam Makhachev. If he can beat him, more power to him, man. That would be incredible. If he can go out there and upset one of the great of all time, that would be incredible for him. Wish him nothing the best."
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Michael Chiesa: Islam Makhachev 'just better everywhere' than Ian Machado Garry