Ian Machado Garry says his “empty frame” approach is ready to upset Islam Makhachev in the title-fight picture

Ian Machado Garry is leaning hard into a specific tactical concept as his confidence grows for a UFC title fight against Islam Makhachev. In a preview reported by Yahoo Sports on Aug. 7, Garry presented the idea of an “empty frame” as a central part of how he expects to change the rhythm of a fight that, on paper, tends to favor Makhachev’s control and composure.

The central message from Garry, as described in the report, is that he does not see himself as merely waiting for chances. Instead, he believes his technique can manufacture them. By emphasizing the “empty frame” approach, Garry suggested he will use movement and positioning to provoke reactions, then capitalize when an opponent commits to what appears to be a real attack but is, in his terms, a decoy or setup rather than the primary strike or entry.

That framing matters because championship fights tend to punish sloppy reads. Garry’s confidence, at least as presented in the Yahoo piece, is rooted in the belief that Makhachev will not be able to rely on standard patterns to stay safe. Garry’s plan appears designed to force uncomfortable decision-making, whether that means chasing a false report, adjusting to a look that does not “mean” what it normally does, or giving up space for the next phase of the fight.

Garry also framed the matchup as one in which he expects pressure and a clear plan rather than simply responding to the champion. While the report focuses most directly on his tactical emphasis, the larger subtext is that Garry intends to stay proactive even if the fight becomes difficult. In other words, his confidence is less about an emotion-heavy prediction and more about the conviction that the tools he has emphasized can function in a high-stakes, high-control environment.

For Makhachev, Garry’s message sets up an obvious tactical challenge. If the champion reads the “empty frame” well, he can reduce the impact of the setups and let Garry spend time chasing the wrong idea. If he misreads it even briefly, the openings Garry is pointing toward could appear at the moments that most matter in a title fight, when the margin for error is thin and one exchange can shift momentum.

What to watch next is how quickly Garry’s early tactics translate into sustained offense. The concept is only useful if it changes what happens on the feet, in entries, and during transitions, not just what it looks like on first glance. If Garry can keep Makhachev reacting rather than dictating, the “empty frame” idea becomes more than a stylistic detail, it becomes a bet that timing and deception can outscore experience in the championship rounds.