Ahead of UFC Qatar, the unbeaten Irish contender outlined his plan for earning a title shot — and the surprising strategy he believes could give him the edge against the welterweight champion.
Could Islam Makhachev’s next challenger be determined in Doha? Ian Machado Garry certainly thinks so. The rising Irish star has his sights set on the Dagestani’s newly won welterweight title in 2026, and he believes that a statement victory this weekend could catapult him to the front of the line.
Before Arman Tsarukyan vs Dan Hooker headlines UFC Qatar, Garry will take on former champion Belal Muhammad. Confident after a recent win, ‘The Future’ is aiming to leap past the other contenders and secure the championship opportunity he’s been chasing.
Garry turns to Georgia in bid to defeat Makhachev
Garry has dismissed Makhachev’s suggested showdown with Kamaru Usman and insists that his performance in Qatar will earn him the title fight instead. And if that opportunity comes, he already has an unconventional plan — leaning on the people of Georgia.
“I swear to God, yesterday I spoke to my wife about coming to Georgia,” Garry said in an interview with Setanta Sports during fight week. He called on Georgian fans and fighters directly: “When I fight Islam Makhachev… all the Georgians out there, I need help. I’m gonna want your help.”
He went further, saying he intends to travel to the country to prepare. “I want bodies to help me prepare and beat Islam Makhachev. So Georgia, my brothers, I will see you soon.” His thinking isn’t without precedent — Georgian star Merab Dvalishvili defeated Umar Nurmagomedov, a major figure from Makhachev’s camp, earlier this year at UFC 311.
Garry once predicted a Makhachev knockout
Garry’s confidence extends beyond his own fight plans. Following UFC 322, he criticized Jack Della Maddalena’s title defense, calling it one of the weakest he’d ever seen. That reaction was striking, considering how he had previously assessed the matchup.
Just months earlier, Garry had predicted that Della Maddalena would knock out Makhachev in New York. “Islam is phenomenal everywhere, and he is only getting better everywhere, but so is Jack,” he told MMA Knockout. Garry argued that Della Maddalena’s size advantage could make the difference, saying he believed “JDM has the opportunity to go out here and knock Islam out.”
Now, Garry believes he’s the one who can solve the Makhachev puzzle — and he’s convinced that the path to doing so runs through Georgia.
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