The Irish UFC welterweight contender, Ian Machado Garry, currently ranked #2, has publicly accused champion Islam Makhachev of not being ready to face him. Garry has been meticulously preparing for a potential title shot since his dominant victory over Belal Muhammad in Qatar last year. In recent weeks, he even traveled to Gori, Georgia, specifically to enhance his wrestling skills, ensuring he is fully equipped to challenge Makhachev for the title.
Islam Makhachev is anticipated to make his first welterweight title defense following Ramadan, with his return expected between May and July, according to Khabib Nurmagomedov. However, “The Future” Garry has made it clear he’s growing impatient.
Garry recently posted a post-training photo from Gori, Georgia, on social media, accompanied by a direct challenge to Makhachev. He asserted his readiness to fight, while sarcastically implying that the “P4P king” was stalling. “I’m ready… He needs more time. Imagine being the number one pound-for-pound fighter on the planet and needing MORE time,” Garry wrote, tagging Makhachev to ensure his message was unmistakable.
Adding to the calls for a title fight, the undefeated Michael Morales, ranked #3 in the welterweight division, also made his intentions clear. During the UFC Mexico broadcast this past weekend, Morales, who was in attendance, took the opportunity to display a photo of Makhachev on his phone, publicly challenging the champion.
With Kamaru Usman seemingly out of contention for the next title shot and other top-ranked contenders like Jack Della Maddalena and Carlos Prates scheduled to fight each other at UFC Perth on May 2, the path appears to be clearing for either Ian Machado Garry or Michael Morales to be Makhachev’s next opponent. An official announcement regarding the highly anticipated matchup is expected soon.
