Ian Machado Garry explains why he leapfrogged Shavkat Rakhmonov to get a shot at the title.
Garry’s only defeat in his professional career came less than a month ago, at UFC 310. He lost to Rakhmonov. The Kazakh superstar immediately took on then-champion Belal Muhammad in Las Vegas, and looked to be heading for the title.
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However, it emerged that the injuries Garry had inflicted upon Rakhmonov had caused such damage that he required surgery, and he hasn’t fought since. The title is now up for grabs twice. And the Irishman has scored two impressive victories against Carlos Prates and Muhammad.
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Ian Machado Garry thinks he’s beaten Shavkat Rakhmonov to the UFC title.
As a particularly divisive figure in the UFC, Ian Machado Garry’s calls for a fight with Islam Makhachev have come under much more scrutiny than others in his division. One key question regularly raised is that if he gets a shot, why wouldn’t Shavkat Rakhmonov, who defeated him last year?
“I don’t believe there’s a bigger fight or anyone who’s more deserving of the title shot right now,”Garry said this to Ariel Helwani tonight on Uncrowned. Garry responded when Helwani suggested that Rakhmonov would return in January. “I don’t believe a word of that.”
“Also, the sport is moving fast. This man needs to be back soon. So when you’ve got someone like me who had a very tough and close fight with that man where he won the opportunity to fight for the title.
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“Due to the fight with me, he has been out injured and has not been able to be active whilst I’ve ranked up a win against the current number five in the world and the number one in the world in Belal Muhammad.
“So with all due respect to Shavkat, and I have nothing but respect for him, let’s talk about him when he’s actually back. Because he’s not right now, and in my mind he’s just trying to maintain relevance by showing up at these…
2025-11-24 23:00:00
