Ian Machado Garry is not just a fighter; he is a man with a clear vision and a meticulously crafted plan for his future in the UFC welterweight division.
Off the back of a dominant victory over Carlos Prates at UFC Kansas City, the 27-year-old Irish standout received confirmation that he will serve as the official backup fighter for the main event at UFC 315, featuring welterweight champion Belal Muhammad against Jack Della Maddalena. With this position secured, Garry is confident that whether or not he gets to compete for the title on May 10th in Montreal, his opportunity for gold is on the horizon.
Indeed, Garry has already mapped out a precise three-fight strategy that encompasses winning the championship and successfully defending the belt for the first time.
“You all know how much I value planning, right?” Garry stated during the post-fight press conference after UFC Kansas City. “You understand I have specific visions in my mind. Allow me to share what comes next. I intend to challenge the winner [of UFC 315]. My belief is it will be Belal, and this is not a slight against Jack; I simply feel Belal`s fighting style is better suited to win this particular matchup, potentially quite convincingly. Therefore, my next fight will be against Belal. And I will defeat Belal. Belal himself has acknowledged numerous times that I represent the most formidable opponent for him in the division.”
“Following Belal`s tenure as champion, there is a certain top pound-for-pound fighter who has expressed interest in moving up in weight class, Islam Makhachev. I hold nothing but admiration and respect for him and his skillset; sharing the octagon with him would be an immense honor. I would be thrilled to step in there against him in my initial title defense and demonstrate that I am the true pound-for-pound number one.”
While these aspirations are undoubtedly ambitious, Garry`s plan doesn`t conclude there. His projected path for the immediate future culminates with a chance to rectify the single defeat he has suffered throughout his career.
In December of the previous year, Garry accepted a fight against another undefeated welterweight, Shavkat Rakhmonov, on relatively short notice. Despite nearly securing a stoppage in the final round, Garry ultimately found himself on the losing side of a decision.
Garry openly admitted that this loss continues to fuel him, serving as powerful motivation to eventually secure a rematch against Rakhmonov at some point in the future.
“After defeating [Islam Makhachev], I will claim that status [as the number one pound-for-pound fighter]. I will have won my first title defense, and then Shavkat will receive his rematch,” Garry declared emphatically.
“I will enter that fight and completely dismantle him, thereby proving that he did not legitimately win our first encounter. That is my comprehensive three-fight agenda. That is precisely how I foresee this unfolding, and I desire no alternative outcome.”
As an immediate next step, Garry is scheduled to travel to Montreal in the coming weeks with the intention of successfully making weight as the designated backup for the championship contest.
Although the possibility exists that he might step into the cage at UFC 315, Garry acknowledges that the likelihood is low. Regardless, he will be intensely observing the main event, though he anticipates the current champion will successfully defend his belt.
“I am inclined to believe Belal holds the advantage,” Garry commented. “Jack possesses significant power and sharp boxing technique, but we have witnessed Jack being outclassed by fighters who are less proficient than Belal within a similar stylistic approach. Belal is the absolute master of that relentless pressure-cooker style. He may not possess the most impactful striking, but he maintains constant forward movement and expertly integrates his wrestling, making him incredibly awkward to deal with.”
“I genuinely feel this constitutes a very unfavorable stylistic pairing for Jack. My prediction is we will see Belal secure the finish in either the fourth or fifth round.”
While Garry expresses nothing but admiration for Della Maddalena as a potential opponent, he concedes that facing Muhammad, the reigning champion, carries greater significance for his career aspirations.
Currently riding an impressive streak of 11 fights without a loss, Muhammad has unequivocally established himself as a top contender in the welterweight division, and he is precisely the individual Garry desires to challenge when his opportunity for a title shot arises.
“I would prefer to fight Belal. This preference is not based on style but purely on his achievements within the division,” Garry explained. “He is the undisputed champion. He has defeated former titleholders. He is on a substantial winning streak.”
“My assessment is that Jack has not accumulated the same volume or caliber of work, and I am resolute about having no ambiguities or question marks attached to my career. I have communicated this previously. Therefore, my objective is to defeat the very best fighters in the world. Jack is certainly competing at that elite level, but I simply believe Belal has accomplished more to warrant his current championship standing.”
Marcus Blakely