Ian Machado Garry is once again facing a limited training period in the UFC, this time for a potential bout that may not actually happen.
After stepping in with relatively short notice (one month) to hand knockout specialist Carlos Prates his first loss in the octagon, Garry is now designated as the backup fighter for the welterweight title contest between Belal Muhammad and Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 315, scheduled for May 10th.
The fighter from Chute Boxe will have just two weeks between these events. His head coach, Diego Lima, indicated they are committed to being fully prepared to compete in Canada if circumstances require it.
“We must train for a war, to train as if we are fighting,” Lima stated. “The moment you are the backup fighter, that fight could be called off. He recalled an instance where Charles Oliveira wasn`t needed as a backup for an Islam Makhachev fight despite offering, only for the fight to be cancelled the day before. Even if you doubt it, anything is possible.”
Garry recently endured demanding fights: five rounds against Rakhmonov in December (nearly securing a submission late in the fight) and a full 25 minutes versus Prates. He sustained damage in the fifth round against Prates but had accumulated enough success in prior rounds to earn a decision victory.
“You cannot emerge completely unscathed after a 25-minute battle,” Lima remarked. He expressed relief that both fighters avoided serious injuries. The immediate focus is recovery and rest, followed by a return to light training and sparring within four or five days. He noted the difficulty in preparing for two opponents with completely different styles (Muhammad and Maddalena), requiring specific conditioning work for either scenario, even if he believes the main event is unlikely to be cancelled.
Lima, who has a history of training Prates, praised Garry`s near-perfect execution of their strategic plan in the recent fight. Apart from a moment in the final minute when Prates significantly rocked the Irish fighter, and Prates` effective takedown defense, Garry was largely in control of the match.
“Ian keeps his weight in check and is always training, so he is prepared for any chance,” Lima commented. “Every fighter dreams of entering the UFC, and then dreams of winning the belt. Ian is exceptionally young but already quite experienced. His fight before the last one was a loss, yet he emerged stronger. He is proving his capabilities and deserves this chance.”
“Ian deserves it,” he reiterated. “Not only for taking another fight on short notice but for delivering results in the octagon. He is a comprehensive fighter. He came close to submitting Rakhmonov last time and delivered a great performance against Carlos, dominating most rounds except the fifth. He is consistently demonstrating he has what it takes, that he deserves this. Both times the UFC needed him, he answered the call.”
Wesley Dunham