Dana White Rips Machado Garry's Lack of 'Killer Instinct' After UFC 330, 'Drives Me F--king Crazy'

UFC president Dana White wanted to see more from Ian Machado Garry in the main event of UFC 330 on Saturday night.

Garry lost a unanimous decision to welterweight champion Islam Makhachev. The judges scored it 49-46, 49-46, 48-47.

"I felt like I think that Ian is a talented guy," White said of the challenger in his post-fight press conference (1:35 mark). "If he had even an ounce of killer instinct in that fifth round, he had been beating him to the body. Islam's whole right side was beat up, his face was beat up. You don't come out and hug and shake hands in the fifth round. That s--t drives me f--king crazy.

"When there's so much at stake and there's also a lot of mental gamesmanship, whatever you want to call it in this game, you come out in the fifth round with a flying knee or something crazy and you try to finish the fight. This is one of those fights Ian will go back and watch and say 'F--k, I wish I could do that over again.'"

Garry and his corner had to sense he was behind on the cards heading into the final round. He finished with more total strikes (89) than Makhachev (78), but Makhachev's seven takedowns undoubtedly impressed the judges.

Rather than throwing caution to the wind, Garry didn't change his style much for the fifth, and that allowed Makhachev to remain in control.

From White's perspective, there was probably nothing for Garry to lose. If he gets tagged by Makhachev or leaves himself open for a submission finish, that would've just hastened the outcome that looked inevitable anyway.

Garry may not have that in his bag, though.

Eleven of his 17 pro fights have gone the distance, and his last stoppage was a TKO of Daniel Rodriguez in May 2023. The 28-year-old generally hasn't been a fighter who takes the initiative inside the cage.

Attaining more of a "killer instinct" would be to Garry's benefit, but that's something that requires a concerted effort in training. It's not a switch he can flip mid-fight.