Prefer it or not, Ian Machado Garry stays excellent in his MMA profession.
The 26-year-old Irishman received a back-and-forth battle over Michael Web page on Saturday at UFC 303 to increase his unbeaten octagon run to 8-0. Whereas Web page discovered success within the placing division, Garry showcased his grappling to edge out the primary and third rounds, and even almost caught Web page with a decent rear-naked choke try within the bout’s opening minutes.
After successful a call by unanimous 29-28 scores, Garry mirrored on his handiwork.
“I’m f*cking pissed I didn’t land that submission within the first spherical,” he stated at UFC 303’s post-fight press convention. “I’m, I’m furious. However you understand what? I confirmed a lot evolution as we speak. I pissed off him. Like, I snake-charmed the snake-charmer.
“He likes individuals to do this dance with him, to maneuver, to maintain that circulation, that rhythm, and he works nicely off that rhythm, that timing. I hit him with stealth mode. I walked him down, I preyed him. He didn’t have plenty of success, I didn’t have plenty of success on the toes. I wobbled him within the second spherical with a proper hand, I seen his eyes go, and I used to be like, ‘Persistence.’ I’ve been saying all week — I stated it to Demian [Maia], I stated it to Diego [Lima], I stated it to everybody on my staff. The important thing to beating Michael ‘Venom’ Web page was endurance.”
Although he has develop into considerably of a polarizing determine for the MMA fan base, Garry (18-0) continues to ascend up the welterweight ranks. His UFC wins over Daniel Rodriguez, Neil Magny, Geoff Neal, and now Web page have carried him to the brink of title competition.
Previous to his reserving in opposition to Web page, Garry campaigned closely for a bout in opposition to three-time title challenger Colby Covington. And whereas he remained open to that matchup after UFC 303, Garry now has a brand new title in thoughts — one few welterweights have dared to name out.
“Look, I’m going to have a chat with Hunter [Campbell] and Dana [White] afterward and determine what’s subsequent. There’s some large names, there’s some cool matchups,” Garry stated. “This Shavkat [Rakhmonov], 18-0, undefeated — I’d like to get my arms on him. I’ve skilled with him. I’ve nothing however respect for the man, however I wish to be the primary man to take his ‘0,’ and I do know I can do it. I’ve simply beat the quickest man within the division aside from me. In relation to the placing and talent set, I can do it. In relation to the grappling, we’ve seen the expansion that I’ve. I’m excited to go on the market and show it in opposition to somebody like him.”
Rakhmonov is at present tied with former champion Kamaru Usman as MMA Preventing’s No. 2 ranked welterweight on the planet. He’s widely known as one of many high threats to the UFC’s 170-pound title and has completed each bout of his skilled MMA profession, stopping the likes of Stephen Thompson, Neal, Magny, Alex Oliveira, Michel Prazeres, and extra.
As destiny would have it, it didn’t take lengthy for Rakhmonov to reply to Garry’s callout.
“Appears like Ian forgot what occurred throughout these coaching periods,” Rakhmonov wrote. “I don’t thoughts reminding him sooner or later.”
Appears like Ian forgot what occurred throughout these coaching periods. I don’t thoughts reminding him sooner or later. https://t.co/B4a7GesXp4
— Shavkat “Nomad” Rakhmonov (@Rakhmonov1994) June 30, 2024
A win over a touted contender like Rakhmonov would doubtless propel Garry to the title shot he has lengthy coveted. He’s assured it’s solely a matter of when — not if — that second comes.
“I’m on my highway to future to be one of many biggest of all-time,” Garry stated. “I’m going to do this by any means obligatory, and I don’t care the way it will get completed.
“In 10 years’ time, my title goes to be in that GOAT dialog. You’re going to [ask], ‘Who’s the best of all-time?’ You’re going to say, ‘Jon Jones, GSP [Georges St-Pierre], Anderson Silva, Ian Machado Garry.’ I’m going to have my title in that dialog. As a result of it’s opinion based mostly, if you happen to’re Brazilian, you’ll say Anderson Silva. In case you’re American, you would possibly say Jon Jones. We will all sit right here and have all of our opinions. So long as my title is in that dialog, I’ve had a profitable profession.”
