Ian Machado Garry relishes potential Islam Makhachev fight if he becomes UFC champ
Ian Machado Garry relishes potential Islam Makhachev fight if he becomes UFC champ
Ian Machado Garry sees a big storyline in a potential UFC title fight against Islam Makhachev.
Makhachev (27-1 MMA, 16-1 UFC) vacated his UFC lightweight title to challenge newly crowned welterweight champ Jack Della Maddalena – a fight which is expected to take place later in the year.
On his own road to gold, Machado Garry (16-1 MMA, 9-1 UFC) envisions a perfect scenario of facing Makhachev if he can get past Della Maddalena. He sees a potential matchup with Makhachev reigniting an infamous rivalry from the past, as well as the opportunity to separate himself from the rest of the roster.
"If people want to market it as Dagestan vs. Ireland if me and Islam Makhachev ever cross paths then they can," Machado Garry said in an interview with Covers.com. "But I feel like that's bringing in two people like Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov, who have had their rivalry and have done and said the things they've said. The truth is, this is Dagestan vs. Ireland, but it would be Islam vs. Ian.
"We can bring up the past, or we can focus on the present. Islam right now is the pound-for-pound No. 1. He's trying to move up and fight for the welterweight world title, and if he wins there is absolutely every scenario that I'm going to call for that fight because there is nothing more I want to do than go out there and beat the No. 1 pound for pound, get the belt and prove that I'm one of the best in the world."
Machado Garry, who's coming off a unanimous decision win over Carlos Prates last month, weighed in as the official backup for the welterweight title fight between Della Maddalena and Belal Muhammad at UFC 315.
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