Makhachev wants three-month turnarounds as 34-year-old eyes UFC legacy

Islam Makhachev has called for a more aggressive fight schedule as he prepares to make the first defence of his UFC welterweight title against Ian Garry (17-1) at UFC 330 on 15 August at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia. The Dagestani champion, who moved up from lightweight nine months ago, says he is conscious of the time he has left at the elite level.

Speaking to UFC Hall of Famer Demetrious Johnson, Makhachev was candid about the urgency he feels at 34. “I’m not like young guy. Now it’s better for me to fight every three to four months,” he said. “I understand I’m not 28 years old; I’m 34 right now. And I don’t have much time. Sometimes it’s not going like you want in the UFC. You want to fight after three or four months, but it’s not according to your wish.”

Makhachev (28-1) added that he would have no issue returning before the end of the year provided he comes through the Garry fight without injury and avoids a heavy weight cut. “It’s not a problem for me if I don’t have any injuries, not cut much weight,” he said.

The champion has long faced criticism for inactivity, but he pushed back on that narrative, arguing that scheduling delays have frequently been outside his control rather than a reflection of his own reluctance to compete. Since joining the UFC in 2015, he has rarely fought more than twice in a calendar year — a pattern he attributes in part to opponents avoiding him during the earlier stages of his career.

Makhachev claimed the lightweight title in 2022 and went on to defend it four times before stepping up to welterweight. His move to 170 pounds represents one of the more ambitious chapter changes in recent UFC history, and the bout with the unbeaten Garry will be his first test at the new weight class as champion.