Belal Muhammad questions Garry’s killer instinct

Belal Muhammad questions Ian Machado Garry’s approach against Islam Makhachev.

Former UFC champion Belal Muhammad questioned why Ian Machado Garry was so friendly at UFC 330 and whether that might have actually hurt him. In the main event, he didn’t quite make it across the finish line. After the fourth round, the fight was very even, but in the fifth round, Islam Makhachev dominated him, and Ian Machado Garry lost the fight on points. Although he showed some good moves, one of the big topics after the fight was why he was so friendly toward his opponent, especially during the fight. Respect and friendliness are actually part of the deal before and after a fight. For many, the problem was likely the fifth round. The fight was still so evenly matched at that point, and if they were in Ian Machado Garry’s shoes, some would have gone all out again. However, when the round started, he hugged his opponent before they continued. This behavior was seen as rather unusual, and now Belal Muhammad has also commented on it.

"You’re down in the fifth round. You’ve got to have the killer instinct. You've got to go for it. His face wasn’t beat up… you were losing. Mindset-wise, he needs to flip the switch. His mindset was we didn’t get tapped, we got up from a couple of takedowns, those are wins for him, and he has to change that. Stock-wise, he’s going to learn from it. He’s going to get better from it, but this game is unforgiving"

he said on his YouTube channel.

So it wasn’t entirely clear to him why he didn’t tap into that killer instinct in the fifth round. Sure, it’s a friendly gesture, but when you’re facing the champion Islam Makhachev in the Octagon, you can’t let any opportunity slip by. It’ll be interesting to see what’s next for Ian Machado Garry.

Personally, I think it’s good to show respect before and after a fight; however, I also think you should set that aside a bit during a title fight. In the Octagon, you’re simply an opponent, and that’s how you should view it. Still, I think it’s good that he’s respectful, and he should continue to be so.