Despite losing via unanimous decision against Shavkat Rakhmonov in the UFC 310 co-main event, Ian Garry received a lot of praise for his performance. This fight replaced the welterweight title fight that was due to take place between Shavkat Rakhmonov and Belal Muhammed, with Belal pulling out of the fight due to a toe injury.
All three judges scored the contest 48-47 in favour of Rakhmonov. In a razor close decision, Ian Garry displayed impressive skills, as he was able to show off his improvement in the grappling department. The Irishman was able to stop most of Rakhmonov’s takedowns and displayed impressive BJJ during the final round which saw him secure a body triangle which allowed him to attempt numerous rear-naked chokes.
Coming into this fight, many fans heavily favoured Rakhmonov due to his impressive record of 18 wins and zero defeats, with all of his wins coming via finish. Despite this, Garry was able to produce an elite performance against the Kazakhstan-born fighter which will undoubtedly leave him in good stead within the UFC Welterweight division. Garry will now have a number of potential matchups within the division that could put him back into title contention.
Colby Covington: A grudge match bound to happen
Before UFC 310, Garry said that if he won, he would be willing to fight Covington next before fighting for the title. It is no secret that Garry and Covington do not like each other and this is a fight that sells itself.
Speaking at the UFC 310 press conference, Garry said “I promise you now, my goal, my dream scenario, I finish Shavkat early, come out unscathed, walk my ass down to Florida, put that man in the octagon with me and see what happens. I would dog walk him for 25 minutes and make it the worst night of his life. I promise you that now. He’ll never do it.”
Covington is due to fight this weekend against Joaquin Buckley at UFC Tampa, and should Covington win, he will likely need another victory against a top contender if he is looking to get his name back into title contention. This fight is perhaps the biggest Garry can make right now and would help to sell a PPV.
Leon Edwards: UK Vs Ireland
Since losing the welterweight title back in July, Leon Edwards has remained relatively quiet however, he is more than likely to make his return at UFC London in March. A fight between the Garry and Edwards would be the perfect matchup to make for this card. They are names that the UK and Ireland fans are familiar with and would make for an intriguing build-up, with the pair having a history.
Edwards has critisised Garry in the past for bringing camera crews into the gym when the pair used to train together, and it does appear that the pair do not like each other. In an interview on Daniel Cormier’s YouTube channel speaking about Edwards, Garry said “He’s mentally weak and he didn’t like someone as talented as me on the mats with him. That’s the truth. And it’s his little puppet-master Dave Lovell who says it all. He wouldn’t even look me in the eye the day I walked out the gym.”
This is a matchup that would undoubtedly being fitting of a main event in the UK, and would provide much intrigue in the lead up to the fight.
Other Options
There are a number of intriguing matchups in the welterweight division that exist for Garry. A fight against former champion Kamaru Usman would be an interesting matchup, as Usman looks to get his name back in the win column following three consecutive defeats.
A matchup with Number 4 ranked Sean Brady would also put Garry’s name back in the title picture, as both fighters have looked impressive lately. A matchup against Stephen Thompson would be a very fan-friendly matchup to make, as both fighters are known for their excellent striking. There is undoubtedly many options for Ian Garry following his defeat at UFC 310, with the Irishman now cementing his name amongst the best in the division.
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