Ian Machado Garry is able to one-up the remainder of the welterweight division.
“The Future” takes on former champion Belal Muhammad within the co-main occasion of UFC Qatar this Saturday and he expects to placed on the sort of efficiency that cements him because the No. 1 contender to problem Islam Makhachev. That’s a daring declare after fellow contenders Michael Morales and Carlos Prates picked up assertion knockouts at UFC 322—which additionally noticed Makhachev dominate Jack Della Maddalena to assert the 170-pound title—however Garry is as assured as ever that he’ll have the final giggle.
“I don’t suppose it’s the benefit of me being final, I feel it’s me being one of the best and probably the most fascinating,” Garry stated at media day of the significance of being the final scheduled UFC welterweight battle of 2025. “I feel the fellows did an excellent job final week and so they did what they wanted to do. Nonetheless, I imagine I’m the deciding think about what occurs for the remainder of the division.
“Islam profitable the belt signifies that he’s the champion of the world. We’d like a No. 1 contender. Once you beat No. 1 and also you knock out No. 1 within the trend that I imagine I’m going to do it in, there’s nothing else. I’m subsequent.”
One main wrench thrown into the welterweight contender dialog is the resurgence of former champion Kamaru Usman. “The Nigerian Nightmare” picked up his first win since 2021 this previous June with a powerful resolution win over high 10-ranked Joaquin Buckley, and Makhachev has expressed curiosity in preventing his fellow future Corridor of Famer. Makhachev and Usman additionally share administration, which makes a possible matchup even simpler to facilitate.
Garry had harsh phrases for Usman’s title battle marketing campaign.
“Do I feel the champion of the world, one of many pound-for-pound greatest on this planet ought to battle a has-been?” Garry stated. “Somebody who was once nice, however isn’t nice anymore? No. The place is he now within the rankings, round 8 or 9? The final battle he had was in opposition to a man who had, like, seven losses within the UFC. No. Islam Makhachev is an outstanding fighter, and he must battle one of many younger up-and-coming contenders, not a has-been who has no knees. In order that’s it, finish of.
“If I used to be Islam, I’d wish to battle Kamaru Usman, too, as a result of it’s a straightforward paycheck, it’s a straightforward win, it’s a straightforward manner for me to get my first title protection at welterweight. However once you’ve bought the likes of me; firstly, for those who take a look at the 4 fundamental contenders proper now, Shavkat [Rakhmonov], me, Prates, Morales, what can we all have in widespread? Lengthy, tall, rangy, highly effective, and filled with youth. Far more harmful than a man who was once the best. … Not one million years. That to me is a cop-out. You might want to battle one of many up-and-comers, one of many guys which might be hungry, which have that keenness, that haven’t felt what it feels prefer to be a champion, which might be pushed to attain their desires.”
Garry is coming off of a win over Prates, which served as a bounce-back efficiency from the primary lack of his profession, which got here in opposition to Shavkat Rakhmonov at UFC 310 this previous December. That bout was meant to crown a No. 1 contender to battle then-champion Belal Muhammad, however Rakhmonov couldn’t capitalize on the win attributable to damage and Della Maddalena as a substitute changed him and went on to defeat Muhammad at UFC 315.
Regardless of Rakhmonov being on the shelf for a chronic time period, Garry nonetheless thinks the undefeated Kazakh fighter ought to nonetheless be ranked No. 1.
“Sure, as a result of he fought for a No. 1 contender battle, of which he received,” Garry stated. “So sure, I do suppose he has that, nevertheless, sadly, one of the best capacity on this sport is availability and if he can’t be right here attributable to damage then issues transfer on. The game strikes on, it doesn’t look ahead to anyone.
“That evening once we fought, he fought to ensure himself a No. 1 contender battle and he received it, three rounds to 2. So in my thoughts, sure, he’s performed sufficient for that, however I feel once you’ve bought me, you’ve bought Morales, you’ve bought Prates, you’ve bought Gabriel Bonfim, you’ve bought all these guys arising, I feel it’s going to be arduous for him to only stroll again in right here and get a title shot.”
Garry believes he controls his destiny and that if he can end Muhammad at UFC Qatar, then the title shot is his to lose. And he desires Makhachev to do the best factor and battle a present contender versus pursuing the Usman battle.
“I stated this to you guys six months in the past: If Islam Makhachev desires to come back as much as the welterweight division, everyone takes a step again and offers the pound-for-pound king the respect he deserves,” Garry stated. “That respect has to then be returned. Once you come to the division and also you obtain the success that you simply wished to attain and also you reach attending to your desires, then you want to even be the person to again it up and battle one of the best welterweights on the planet.
“He’s calling out Kamaru Usman. That’s a has-been. Somebody who was once, not is correct now. Once you’ve bought the likes of me, Morales, Prates, all of us contending to be the following smartest thing on this division, there’s no query after I knock out Belal this weekend, I’m the No. 1 contender and the best factor to do is Islam to defend the belt in opposition to me.”
