Home » MMA News » UFC » Ian Machado Garry’s coach sticks up for fighter amid hugging…
By Fernando Quiles Jr. September 13, 2026
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Ian Machado Garry has gotten plenty of flak for his friendly gestures during the UFC 330 main event, but his coach thinks it’s overblown. Garry challenged Makhachev for the welterweight title in Philadelphia. The August clash marked Makhachev’s first title defense at 170 pounds. Garry was able leave marks on Makhachev’s face, but the offensive output wasn’t enough to break the glass ceiling. The pound-for-pound great dropped Garry in the second round with a head kick, and his control was good enough to secure a unanimous decision victory.
In the aftermath of UFC 330, some fans, experts, and even Dana White have taken Garry to task over being friendly with Makhachev despite being down in the final round. Garry’s coach Diego Lima told MMAFighting.com that Garry’s gestures shouldn’t be put under a microscope. “I swear I didn’t notice it,” Lima said. “And I don’t think the hugs influenced anything at all. Him greeting his opponent, honestly… Charles [Oliveira] does that too. Charles hugs everyone when the round ends, when the round starts. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with it.
That didn’t change the outcome of the fight. Thank God, Ian is a family man, a respectful guy, extremely polite. If he wants to greet people more, let him greet people more. There’s no problem with that.”
Garry recently called for a title eliminator against surging undefeated contender Michael Morales.
There is a strong belief within the MMA community that Carlos Prates will ultimately be Makhachev’s next challenger, but nothing has been made official at this time. Makhachev has said he wishes to return before Ramadan, which would mean he’ll be back inside the Octagon by Jan. 2027. Do you think the backlash towards Ian Machado Garry for hugging Islam Makhachev was warranted, or do you believe it was overblown. Be sure to share your opinion in the comments below. This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM
