Ian Machado Garry, the welterweight contender, recently celebrated his victory over Carlos Prates at UFC Kansas City. Now, he finds himself in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, serving as the backup fighter for the highly anticipated UFC 315 main event. This event features champion Belal Muhammad defending his title against the fifth-ranked Jack Della Maddalena at the Bell Centre this Saturday.
Garry, who believes Muhammad will successfully retain his championship, made it clear that he has no intention of accepting a fight that doesn’t involve the title. In his own words, "The truth is, both of the fighters are phenomenal fighters. Belal's the champion. He went out and he dominated against Leon Edwards to win the belt. He's a phenomenal fighter. And actually, Belal is a very good human from what I've seen. Very respectful. Carries himself very well."
He also shared thoughts on Jack Della Maddalena’s recent performance, stating, "Jack has been inactive. He hasn't had the best fights recently. He's got one win over a current ranked opponent, and that's Gilbert Burns." This analysis sets the stage for the clash between Muhammad and Della Maddalena, where Garry expects to be next in line for the title shot.
Confident in his position, Garry declared, "The truth is, I am next. I am going to be the next person. I am the biggest matchup he can get in the division. No one cares about Joaquin Buckley. No one cares about Kamaru Usman. They should have been gone a long time ago. They're irrelevant in my mind. The biggest fight you can make after this event, when Belal wins, is Belal Muhammad against Ian Machado Garry. Let's do it in your back garden. Let's do it in Chicago."
When questioned about accepting another fight that isn’t for the welterweight title, Garry was adamant: "No. I don't think I need to. I believe I'm the biggest name in the division. I injured Shavkat Rakhmonov. He's not going to be fighting this year. I don't see anyone who's bigger, anyone who is more interesting to put on a pay-per-view main event and sell out a stadium. There is no one bigger. There is no one that will create the buzz and that hype."
As UFC 315 approaches, the stakes are high for all contenders involved, with Garry’s sights firmly set on future championship aspirations. Belal Muhammad will defend his title against Jack Della Maddalena at the Bell Centre, and the welterweight division watches closely, particularly with Garry poised for what he believes will be a significant matchup in his career.
