Ian Machado Garry’s name came up during a conversation between the media and UFC CEO Dana White at Saturday’s UFC Fight Night. This discussion was centered around Garry’s recent defeat to Islam Makhachev at UFC 330, where Makhachev defended his UFC Welterweight Championship. White had previously criticized Garry for his apparent lack of aggression in the fight, claiming that Garry was too nice to his opponents instead of trying to overpower them.

White stood by his earlier comments, amending the words a reporter used when questioning him after Fight Night. The reporter paraphrased White’s previous comments, suggesting he wanted Garry to ‘annihilate Makhachev in the fifth round.’ White corrected this by stating, “I didn’t say I’d like for him to do that. What I said was, you know, you get this opportunity; you’ve worked your whole life to get there.” White expressed disappointment that Garry opted for a friendly approach instead of finishing strong, noting, “Tell him how great he is when they’re putting the belt on you. Ian might never have that opportunity again and probably will never get the opportunity to fight Islam again.”

Although Makhachev won the bout in a unanimous decision, both White and Makhachev agreed that Garry lacked the killer instinct required at such a high level. Despite the criticism, Garry remains highly regarded as a skilled fighter. Throughout his career of 19 fights, he has achieved 17 wins and two losses, including his recent loss to Makhachev. The current UFC rankings place Machado Garry as the No. 2 welterweight fighter overall, with Carlos Prates leading above him.

While White did not entirely dismiss future title opportunities for Garry, he implied that Garry missed a golden chance to defeat Makhachev. Interestingly, Machado Garry had previously beaten Prates by unanimous decision at an ESPN event in April 2025, indicating Garry might deserve another chance at the champion in the future.