UFC star Islam Makhachev did not hold back when discussing Ian Garry during a recent interview appearance.
During the conversation, Makhachev was asked whether his potential match with Garry could be considered the second installment of the Ireland versus Dagestan rivalry that captivated the world during Conor McGregor’s clash with Khabib Nurmagomedov, Makhachev offered a sarcastic response.
“Would you call the Garry fight round two of the Irish vs Dagestan rivalry?” the interviewer asked.
Makhachev responded with a sarcastic jab.
“Like they say… from AliExpress, right?” he joked, implying that comparing Garry to McGregor would be like comparing the real thing to a cheap knockoff.
Islam says Dagestan vs Ireland rivalry against Ian Garry is “From AliExpress.”
can’t compare to McGregor/Khabib 😂
via Ushatayka
— Dovy🔌 (@DovySimuMMA) February 19, 2026
He admitted that while the rivalry angle could technically continue, it would never carry the same weight as the original.
“It wouldn’t be the same,” Makhachev said. “Back then, the level of MMA and the intensity around that matchup was at its peak. There may be big rivalries again in the future, but not with Garry.”
The lightweight champion also addressed Garry’s recent decision to train in Georgia to sharpen his wrestling ahead of a possible matchup
“Georgia? Sure, maybe he’ll pick up a few things,” he said. “But I haven’t been wrestling for two or three months. I’ve been wrestling my whole life. So it doesn’t really matter to me.”
Makhachev went on to explain that opponents have tried similar approaches for years, bringing in elite grapplers and specialized training partners to prepare for his dominant ground game. However, none of them has been successful.
“For my last several matches, people have always tried this,” he said. “You cannot learn wrestling in three months. They bring in national team wrestlers, specialists. Oliveira brought in some Iranian guy. And it never changes anything. It has no effect. Don’t waste your time.”
Additionally, Garry responded to Makhachev’s comments, saying that his wrestling will be effective. He stated: “There is no one in the world who learns faster than me.”
Garry has been taken down six times in his UFC career: twice by Shavkat Rakhmonov, twice by Song Kenan, once by Gabe Green, and once by Darian Weeks. But in his most recent bout, he successfully defended all seven takedown attempts from Belal Muhammad.
Editor’s note: Quotes have been edited for clarity and readability.
