Dustin Poirier says Ian Machado Garry must use footwork, not just “run,” against Islam Makhachev at UFC 330

Dustin Poirier’s preview for UFC 330 focuses on a single tactical point for Ian Machado Garry: Poirier believes Garry cannot rely on a constant retreat or perimeter-style “running” as the main plan against Islam Makhachev. Poirier’s view is that Garry needs his movement to be functional, with footwork used to create advantages, not just to evade exchanges.

The underlying theme, as Poirier framed it, is that Garry’s best weapon has to be more precise than pace for its own sake. Running through wrestling-heavy or pressure-oriented looks can remove the margin that a striker needs, Poirier suggested, because an opponent can compress distance, meet you as you reset, and turn your movement into a brief pause rather than an opening.

Poirier’s specific emphasis is on “using his footwork effectively.” That distinction matters because footwork can serve different purposes in MMA. It can be used to set angles, manage entry and exit timing, and position the lead leg or hips in ways that make strikes more available. If it becomes only a method of leaving space, opponents who are comfortable chasing can force more of the fight into their range and rhythm.

Garry’s style, as implied by Poirier’s comments, has featured a lot of movement and the ability to keep fights at a certain distance. But Poirier’s caution is that against Makhachev, distance control alone may not be enough. In this matchup picture, the goal is not just to avoid being hit for long stretches, it is to turn movement into offense and defense that connect repeatedly across rounds.

For Makhachev, Poirier’s remarks indirectly highlight what makes him difficult to play “keeping away” with. When a challenger moves constantly, the pressure becomes about timing: whether the pressure opponent can make that movement predictable enough to work through. If the defender’s running does not threaten consistently, the aggressor can focus on occupation and transition, which can change the fight’s tempo and the types of scrambles that decide rounds.

UFC 330 carries the kind of stakes that make tactical specificity worth spotlighting. Poirier’s comment essentially tells Garry that the coaching point for fight night cannot be only “stay out of trouble,” it has to be “stay out of trouble while still scoring and disrupting.” That is the difference between movement that wins minutes and movement that forces a matchup to respect the striker’s follow-up.

What to watch next is how Garry’s footwork shows up once exchanges start to become live. The key question will be whether his step-and-reset patterns produce clean strike opportunities, or whether they become a loop that Makhachev can anticipate and counter by closing the gap with less risk. Poirier’s preview points to that moment as the hinge.

If Garry does use footwork effectively, the fight dynamic could change quickly: angles could deny Makhachev’s entries, and Garry could make the pressure feel more costly. If not, Poirier’s warning suggests Garry might spend UFC 330 trying to stay away for too long, only to find that staying away does not automatically translate into control. Poirier’s comments set a clear expectation for how the tactical battle may be won or lost.