Jones backs Makhachev to defend welterweight title at UFC 330, names him a GOAT contender

Jon Jones has thrown his weight behind Islam Makhachev ahead of UFC 330, predicting the welterweight champion will defeat Ian Garry on August 15 at the Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Speaking to Sport24ru, Jones also placed Makhachev in the same breath as himself when discussing the greatest fighters of all time.

“I’m going with Islam because he has a wrestling background, and it’s very hard to beat wrestlers,” Jones said. “He may just be one of the greatest fighters in the world. Right now, it’s me and maybe him. So, I encourage him to keep going.”

Makhachev (28-1) arrives at UFC 330 as the reigning welterweight champion after dethroning Jack Della Maddalena in dominant fashion last year. Before moving up in weight, he defended the lightweight title four times — the most in that division’s history — establishing himself as one of the sport’s most decorated champions.

Garry (17-1) enters the bout as a credible challenger, carrying 10 UFC victories and having recovered from his sole professional defeat, a loss to Shavkat Rakhmonov, with back-to-back wins over Belal Muhammad and Carlos Prates. The Irishman’s striking-based game will be tested against Makhachev’s grappling-heavy approach, the very quality Jones identifies as the champion’s key weapon.

Jones himself remains one of the most decorated fighters in UFC history, holding the light heavyweight title across two separate reigns and widely regarded as the sport’s pound-for-pound benchmark. His endorsement of Makhachev as a potential equal carries weight in a sport where such comparisons are rarely made.