Ian Machado Garry made it clear to the UFC that accepting a short-notice battle in opposition to Carlos Prates got here with contingencies, and his greatest demand was {that a} win would earn him the subsequent shot on the welterweight title.
He did his half with a call win over Prates at UFC Kansas Metropolis, and now Garry is ready to weigh in because the backup for Saturday’s essential occasion between Belal Muhammad and Jack Della Maddalena. Whereas he’s ultra-confident that the UFC goes to observe by way of on the promise to present him a title shot afterwards, there’s one situation the place Garry admits he must step apart.
“[If] Jack does win and Islam [Makhachev] needs to come back up, everybody takes a backseat,” Garry mentioned on Wednesday throughout UFC 315 media day. “You’re the No. 1 pound-for-pound on the earth, you deserve that rating, you deserve that standing.
“If you wish to come up and battle for that belt, then everybody will sit again and allow you to achieve this as a result of that’s the respect that man deserves.”
Because the UFC light-weight champion, Islam Makhachev has usually talked about pursuing a second title, however he’s additionally made it clear that he would by no means battle Muhammad, his buddy and frequent coaching associate. Makhachev’s coach, Khabib Nurmagomedov, doubled down on that when he emphatically said that they wouldn’t pursue the welterweight title as long as Muhammad is champion.
In fact, that every one adjustments if Della Maddalena wins on Saturday.
Whereas Garry concedes he would step apart for Makhachev, given the circumstances round what it will take for him to maneuver as much as 170 kilos, the 27-year-old Irish fighter doesn’t count on that situation to occur.
“I imagine Belal wins this weekend, and when Belal wins this weekend, there ain’t an even bigger battle to make than me and Belal, and I need to do it in his yard,” Garry mentioned. “I need to do it in Chicago. I need to promote it out. I need to be the man to do it, and I need to take his belt in his hometown.”
Rumors have been swirling that the UFC is plotting a return to Chicago within the close to future, however there’s no telling if Muhammad would even be obtainable till he will get by way of Della Maddalena at UFC 315.
Irrespective of his situation, Garry believes Muhammad can be a idiot to cross up on combating in his hometown so it units the stage completely for an additional welterweight title battle.
“I believe for him it will be idiotic to not need to battle in his hometown and defend his belt on residence soil,” Garry mentioned. “No matter who’s in entrance of him.”
As a lot as he needs to take the title away from him, Garry has plenty of admiration for Muhammad and the lengthy street he traveled to lastly change into champion. There’s no actual unhealthy blood between them, and Garry guarantees that he’ll be certain to take all of the promotion off Muhammad’s shoulders if the UFC books the battle.
“Belal is the champion of the world, and I believe from the whole lot that I’ve seen from him, clearly I don’t know the man personally on a deep [level] however he appears to be human,” Garry mentioned. “Appears to have his thoughts switched on and isn’t into some bullshit talked about, silly issues.
“I believe for him it will be a sensible transfer to need to battle me subsequent. As a result of I’m going to do all of the heavy lifting relating to promoting the cardboard. I’m going to do all of the heavy lifting relating to placing on a present. I’ll do all of the noise. All he has to do is present up so I can win the belt.”
