It drives me crazy! – Dana White slams Ian Garry’s ‘classy’ mindset at UFC 330

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - On August 15, 2026, UFC president and CEO Dana White slammed challenger Ian Garry's "classy" mindset after the welterweight title bout against Islam Makhachev at UFC 330. Garry, from Ireland, fought valiantly but ultimately lost by decision to the dominant champion. White believed the upset was set up for Ian, who showed excellent takedown defense and reversals on the ground.

However, White emphasized that the challenger needed to switch off the "classy" persona when the bell rang and focus on winning. He criticized Garry for shaking hands with Makhachev's corner throughout the fight, stating, "F— that shit drives me crazy!" White noted that if Garry had entered the fifth round with a desire to dominate, the outcome could have been vastly different.

While Garry remained amicable with Makhachev during the bout, exchanging high fives and fist bumps, White urged the challenger to change his mindset when the moment of truth arrived. He added, "You definitely got to do it in the fifth round. You don’t shake the GOAT’s hand in the fifth round. You go out to f—ng annihilate him." Despite White's perspective on Garry's mindset, the official scorecards reflected Makhachev's victory in three of the first four rounds, with two judges' accounts. Even if Garry had won the fifth round, it wouldn't have secured him the title.

Garry was indeed effective on his feet, with a notable performance in the first and fourth rounds, but his overall lack of striking volume and activity proved detrimental. In the round he lost, the knockdown cost him dearly, while in the third round, where he was unanimously scored upon, he threw a meager 25 significant strikes from distance. The combination of Garry's limited striking and Makhachev's relentless wrestling proved to be the decisive factors in their clash.