TLDR
- Ian Machado Garry defeated former champion Belal Muhammad via unanimous decision at UFC Qatar
- Garry believes he’s the rightful number one contender and wants Islam Makhachev next for the welterweight title
- He dismissed Kamaru Usman’s title aspirations, calling Usman “irrelevant” with only one win since 2021
- Garry downplayed Shavkat Rakhmonov’s return timeline, citing his opponent’s ongoing knee injury recovery
- A backstage altercation occurred between Garry and middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev at UFC Qatar
Ian Machado Garry Stakes His Claim After Dominant Victory
Ian Machado Garry returned to the win column in style at UFC Qatar. The Irish welterweight defeated former champion Belal Muhammad via unanimous decision in the co-main event.
The victory came at a crucial time for the 28-year-old fighter. Islam Makhachev recently won the welterweight title at UFC 322, creating new opportunities in the division.
Garry believes his performance against Muhammad separates him from other contenders. He stopped all of Muhammad’s takedown attempts while controlling the striking exchanges.
“It was domination from start to finish,” Garry said on “The Ariel Helwani Show.” “I pieced him up on the feet and did exactly what I said I would do, then I stopped every one of his takedowns.”
The Irishman called his performance clinical and efficient. He stated there was never any real danger during the 15-minute fight.
Garry’s career record now stands at 17-1. His only loss came to Shavkat Rakhmonov in December 2024.
Since that defeat, Garry has won two consecutive fights. One of those victories came against rising contender Carlos Prates.
The Title Picture Gets Complicated
Garry made his position clear about who deserves the next title shot. He believes he’s earned the opportunity to face Makhachev.
“I don’t believe there’s a bigger fight or anyone who’s more deserving of the title shot right now,” Garry said. The fighter pointed to his recent wins over top-ranked opponents as proof.
However, other names remain in the conversation. Shavkat Rakhmonov was expected to challenge for the title before injuries sidelined him.
Rakhmonov has undergone two knee surgeries since his fight with Garry. Rumors suggest he could return by January 2025 if needed.
Garry expressed skepticism about Rakhmonov’s return timeline. “I don’t believe a word of that,” he said.
“He’s just trying to maintain relevancy by showing up at these fights and being in the picture,” Garry added. He emphasized his own availability and recent activity in the division.
Former champion Kamaru Usman has also entered the title discussion. Usman ended a three-fight losing streak with a win over Joaquin Buckley at UFC Atlanta earlier this year.
Makhachev has publicly entertained the idea of facing Usman first. This possibility drew sharp criticism from Garry.
“Kamaru Usman is irrelevant,” Garry said bluntly. “He’s had one win since 2021.”
Garry argued that Usman’s single victory over Buckley doesn’t warrant a title shot. He called the idea of Usman jumping ahead in line unacceptable.
“With all due respect, he can sit back in line and wait, fight another fight, get more relevant, and fight someone up the rankings,” Garry stated. He insisted that Makhachev has a duty to fight the rightful number one contender.
Beyond the title race, Garry found himself in a backstage confrontation at UFC Qatar. Middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev shoved Garry during a hallway encounter after the event.
The incident escalated into a public exchange. Chimaev posted and later deleted a tweet threatening Garry, saying “White boy, you will not survive one minute in my world.”
Garry responded by calling Chimaev’s behavior “little energy” and questioned why a champion would lose his composure over a tap on the back. The confrontation added another layer to Garry’s eventful night in Qatar.
