Ian Machado Garry is a man with a plan.
Following a strong performance to beat Carlos Prates in the UFC Kansas City main event, the 27-year-old Irish star was officially confirmed as the backup fighter for the UFC 315 main event between welterweight champion Belal Muhammad and Jack Della Maddalena. With that spot secured, Garry expects that whether or not he actually competes for the title in Montreal on May 10 that his shot at gold is coming sooner than later.
In fact, Garry has a three-fight plan already mapped out that includes becoming champion as well as his first title defense after winning the belt.
“You guys know I like plans, right?” Garry said at the UFC Kansas City post-fight press conference. “You guys know I have visions in my mind. Well let me tell you what’s next. I’m going to fight the winner [at UFC 315], I believe it’s Belal and that’s nothing against Jack, I just believe stylistically Belal has what it takes to get this fight done and quite convincingly. So I’m going to fight Belal next. I’m going to beat Belal. Belal has said it many, many times, I am the toughest opponent in the division for him.
“Then when Belal doesn’t have the belt, there’s a certain pound-for-pound No. 1 who wants to come up and his name is Islam Makhachev. I have nothing but love and respect for that man, his style, it would be an honor to share the octagon with him. I would love to go out there and prove against him in my first title defense that I’m the pound-for-pound No. 1.”
Now those are already ambitious plans but Garry didn’t stop there because the final stop as he mapped out his immediate future ends with a chance to avenge the only loss he’s suffered in his career.
This past December, Garry accepted a short-notice fight against another undefeated welterweight in Shavkat Rakhmonov but despite nearly securing a finish late in the fifth round, he ended up on the wrong end of a decision loss.
Garry openly admitted that defeat continues to haunt him but he’s using it as motivation so he can eventually get back to Rakhmonov one day again in the future.
“I beat [Islam Makhachev], I take that status [as the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter]. I win my first title defense and then Shavkat gets the rematch,” Garry said.
“I’m going to go out there and I am going to dismantle that man and prove that he never won that fight. That’s my next three fight plan. That’s how I see that going and I don’t want it any other way.”
First things first, Garry is flying to Montreal in two weeks with plans to weigh in as the official backup to the title fight.
While there’s obviously a chance he actually ends up competing at UFC 315, Garry understands it’s unlikely but either way he’ll be keeping a very close eye on that main event, although he expects the reigning champion to retain.
“I do think Belal has the advantage,” Garry said. “I think Jack hits hard. Jack is clean at some boxing but I just feel like we’ve seen Jack get outclassed by people who aren’t as good as what Belal does in the same style. Belal the very best at that pressure cooker style. He doesn’t hit the hardest but he does not stop coming forward and he mixes in his wrestling and he makes it awkward.
“I really do think that’s a stylistically terrible matchup for Jack. I think we see Belal get the finish in the fourth or fifth round.”
As much as Garry says he has nothing but admiration for Della Maddalena as a potential challenger, he admits that it would mean more for him to go up against Muhammad as the incumbent champion.
Currently riding an 11-fight unbeaten streak, Muhammad has clearly defined himself as the top welterweight in the sport and that’s exactly the person Garry wants to fight when it’s his turn for a title shot.
“[I’d rather fight] Belal. Nothing to do with style but just to do with what he’s done in the division,” Garry said. “He is the champion. He has beaten former champions. He’s on a however many fight win streak.
“I feel like Jack has not done the same workload and I don’t want any question marks on my career. I’ve told you this. So I want to beat the best guys in the world and Jack is up there on that level but I just think Belal has done more to warrant that status.”
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