Ian Garry is not letting his loss to Shavkat Rakhmonov derail his dreams of capturing the 170-pound crown. In fact, “The Future” is ready to fill the role of backup fighter when the promotion books Rakhmonov against current welterweight titleholder, Belal Muhammad, later this year.
“I’m absolutely, in my mind, the number two contender in the world,” Garry told MMA Knockout. “So, could I see the UFC booking me as a replacement? Yes. Do I think it’s realistic? Potentially. However, we’ll see when the cards come. If they want that, if they need that. I will say one thing: I will be ready if they want me. Like I always am. Ready, prepared for anyone and anywhere.”
Garry’s UFC 310 loss to Rakhmonov marked the first of his professional MMA career and left him idling in the No. 7 slot in the official welterweight rankings (see them here). “The Future” insists his performance against the undefeated “Nomad” should have propelled him further up the list and perhaps even as high as No. 2 in the world.
“The way I look at this, is that the fight against Shavkat was to be the number one contender in the world and go out and fight for the belt next,” Garry continued. “If I’m not the number one contender, of which Shavkat got his hand raised and has now cemented himself, I’m definitely number f**king two. That’s the way I look at it. Because there’s no way after that performance, you can sit there and say that I’m not one of the best in the division. So whatever the rankings want to officially say, it’s okay.”
Garry (15-1) is still just 27 years old and may not have reached his fighting prime, so there’s a solid chance “The Future” will meet Rakhmonov again somewhere down the road. As far as his 2025 plans are concerned, Garry is expected to make his Octagon return at some point in late spring or early summer.
