Ian Machado Garry clearly has his future mapped out.
After a solid victory over Carlos Prates at UFC Kansas City, the 27-year-old Irish fighter was named the official backup for the UFC 315 welterweight title bout between champion Belal Muhammad and Jack Della Maddalena. Having secured this position, Garry is confident his opportunity to fight for the title will arrive soon, regardless of whether he steps into the octagon in Montreal on May 10.
Indeed, Garry has already outlined a specific three-fight trajectory that involves claiming the championship and then successfully defending it for the first time.
“You know I enjoy making plans, don’t you?” Garry stated at the UFC Kansas City post-fight press conference. “You know I visualize things. Let me share what’s next. I plan to face the winner of the UFC 315 bout. I anticipate it will be Belal, and that’s not meant to disrespect Jack; I just believe Belal`s style is well-suited to win that fight convincingly. Therefore, I will fight Belal next, and I will defeat him. Belal himself has repeatedly stated that I represent his most challenging opponent in the division.”
He continued, “Once Belal no longer holds the belt, there’s a specific fighter, ranked No. 1 pound-for-pound, who wants to move up a weight class – Islam Makhachev. I hold immense admiration and respect for him and his fighting style; sharing the octagon with him would be an honor. I would be thrilled to face him in my initial title defense and demonstrate against him that I am truly the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter.”
While these plans are already ambitious, Garry didn`t conclude there. The final stage of his immediate future includes an opportunity to get revenge for the sole defeat of his professional career.
Last December, Garry took a fight on short notice against fellow undefeated welterweight Shavkat Rakhmonov. Despite almost finishing the fight in the final round, Garry ultimately lost by decision.
Garry confessed that this loss still bothers him significantly, but he is using it as fuel to ensure he faces Rakhmonov again at some point in the future.
“After defeating Islam Makhachev and claiming the No. 1 pound-for-pound ranking,” Garry stated, “I will have successfully defended my title for the first time. Following that, Shavkat will get his rematch.”
“My intention is to enter the octagon, completely dismantle him, and conclusively demonstrate that he did not truly win our previous encounter. This is my planned sequence of my next three fights. This is my vision for how things will unfold, and I am determined to make it happen exactly this way.”
As a preliminary step, Garry is heading to Montreal in two weeks with the intention of weighing in as the official backup fighter for the championship bout.
While acknowledging there`s a possibility he might step in to fight at UFC 315, Garry recognizes it`s improbable. Regardless, he will be closely observing the main event, though he predicts the current champion will successfully defend his title.
“I genuinely believe Belal possesses the stylistic edge,” Garry commented. “Jack hits powerfully and has sharp boxing, but I feel we`ve seen him struggle against fighters who aren`t even as effective in Belal’s style. Belal excels at applying constant pressure. He might not be the hardest hitter, but his forward momentum is relentless, and he effectively incorporates wrestling, making him an uncomfortable opponent.”
“Honestly, I think this is a very unfavorable stylistic matchup for Jack. I predict Belal will secure a finish in either the fourth or fifth round.”
Despite expressing considerable admiration for Della Maddalena as a potential opponent, Garry admitted that facing Muhammad, the reigning champion, would carry more significance for him personally.
Currently on an impressive 11-fight unbeaten run, Muhammad has firmly established himself as the top welterweight in the division. This is precisely the caliber of opponent Garry wants to face when his opportunity for a title shot arrives.
“I would prefer to fight Belal,” Garry stated. “This preference isn`t based on fighting style, but rather on his accomplishments within the division. He is the current champion, he has defeated former champions, and he is on a significant winning streak.”
“I believe Jack hasn`t accumulated the same level of significant victories,” he added. “As I`ve mentioned before, I want my career to be beyond question. Therefore, I aim to defeat the absolute best fighters in the world. While Jack is certainly among the elite, I feel Belal has achieved more to truly earn his position as the top contender or champion.”
