Ian Machado Garry has made his latest pitch for a UFC welterweight title shot as he looks to build hype around a potential clash with Islam Makhachev.
Machado Garry put on a clinic to ease past former champion Belal Muhammad at UFC Qatar on Saturday, dominating the American-Palestinian to a unanimous decision victory.
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Having also beaten rising star Carlos Prates this year, number-six ranked Garry has a strong claim to be next in line for a shot at newly-crowned welterweight king Makhachev, who demolished Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 322 to become a two-division champion.
Machado Garry, hailing from Portmarnock in Ireland, believes he and Makhachev can write the latest chapter of a rivalry that burns deep between Ireland and Dagestan in MMA, one that began with Conor McGregor vs Khabib Nurmagomedov back in 2018.
“We have history, our countries have history in the game – the biggest rivalry in the sport,” Garry said. “You’re Khabib’s protege, I’m McGregor’s protege. Let’s run it back for that welterweight world title.
“Islam, the ball is in your court – you choose when, you choose where, and I’ll be there. And I’m telling you now, that belt ain’t coming home with you.”
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He later added: “This is the new wave of Dagestan, more technical on the feet, more technical grappling than Khabib. I’m a longer, faster, more versatile version of Conor. It’s the perfect fight to make. He has to take me down. I have to keep it on the feet.”
While Makhachev, a childhood friend of Khabib, is without question a product of the famed Nurmagomedov dynasty, Garry branding himself as “McGregor’s protege” is perhaps a bit of an exaggeration.
Ian Machado Garry has claimed to be Conor McGregor’s protege (Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)
Garry spent some time with McGregor’s team at Straight Blast Gym in Dublin and has been open about his adulation for his countryman, but the “Notorious” didn’t nurture him in the fighting game to nearly the same extent Khabib did with Makhachev.
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And while he is clearly content with stoking the fire of a potential feud, emphasising the fight’s marketability, Garry is quick to maintain his respect for the champion.
“Firstly, I want to say that I have nothing but respect for Islam Makhachev,” Garry said. “The guy is the pound-for-pound number one in the world and the champion of my division.
“However, when you come into my division, and you’re the only thing that stops me, that is in the way of me achieving my dreams, I’m going to make sure that I punch a hole in your head. He has to fight me next.”
