Scott Fontana Islam Makhachev may already have passed toughest test: MMA rankings August 2026 By Scott Fontana Published Aug. 21, 2026, 8:30 a.m. ET Ian Machado Garry (left) punches Islam Makhachev in a welterweight title fight at UFC 330 on Saturday, Aug. 15, 2026, in Philadelphia. AP Deep in the bowels of Xfinity Mobile Arena in the wee hours of Sunday morning, a thought crossed my mind as I pondered what may come next for UFC welterweight champion Islam Makhachev.
What if Ian Machado Garry is the toughest test Makhachev ever needs to pass at 170 pounds?
The proposition surprised me, even as an observer who expected some degree of competitiveness from the Irish challenger. I’ve got a healthy respect for Machado Garry’s elite game-planning and well-rounded skill set, two traits that served him well in defeat during the UFC 330 main event in Philadelphia hours earlier.
There’s never going to be Makhachev vs. Machado Garry II, mind you. There’s no need. The first one told us enough.
