Ian Machado Garry questions Islam Makhachev’s ‘time wasting’ after training footage surfaces despite injury

UFC welterweight contender Ian Machado Garry continues to question whether or not Islam Makhachev is actually injured.

Arguably, the most exciting UFC division is welterweight, led by the legendary Islam Makhachev at the top of the heap. Several marquee contenders, including Ian Machado Garry and Michael Morales, are in the mix for a potential welterweight title shot.

Despite the UFC’s rumored attempt to get Makhachev to headline the upcoming White House card, Makhachev remains sidelined due to a significant hand injury. As of this writing, it’s uncertain when Makhachev will return to the Octagon to defend his title.

UFC CEO Dana White was asked about Makhachev’s status at the recent UFC London post-fight press conference after rumors swirled online regarding his status. White confirmed that Makhachev is recovering from an undisclosed hand injury, and a timeline for his return remains uncertain.

But not everyone is buying Makhachev’s reasoning behind his ongoing hiatus. Garry recently claimed Makhachev might be faking the hand injury to give himself more time to prepare for his first welterweight title defense.

Garry doubled down on that stance after recent footage of Makhachev circulated on social media.

Despite his ongoing hiatus, Makhachev was seen working with a heavy bag in a recent video. It didn’t take long for Garry to double down on questioning Makhachev’s postponed timeline for his next UFC fight.

Ian Machado Garry: Islam Makhachev ‘wasting time’ in latest hand injury skepticism

In a recent Instagram story, Garry responded to viral footage of Makhachev following White’s remarks.

Ian Machado Garry reacts to a recent video of Islam Makhachev punching a heavy bag despite Dana White saying he is out with a hand injury. 👀🗣️

“WTF. Hand injury or time wasting?” pic.twitter.com/L8Wwsv3iMI

— MMA Orbit (@mma_orbit) March 23, 2026

“WTF? Hand injury or time wasting?” Garry responded.

Garry made a strong case for a title shot when he outpointed former champion Belal Muhammad at UFC Qatar last year. Makhachev won the UFC welterweight title by defeating Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 322.

What’s your early prediction for a potential Islam Makhachev vs. Ian Machado Garry fight? Let us know in the comments!