Ian Machado Garry Claims Islam Makhachev Is Looking for an “Easy First Title Defense”
Ian Machado Garry believes Islam Makhachev is seeking an easy opponent for his first welterweight title defense.
This past weekend at UFC 322, Makhachev, who had moved up to welterweight earlier this year, made his divisional debut and dethroned Jack Della Maddalena with ease. Makhachev is open to fighting other top contenders, including Michael Morales or Carlos Prates, but if given a choice, he would want to lock horns with former UFC champion Kamaru Usman.
Garry thinks Makhachev is seeking an easy first title defense and therefore wants to fight Usman. As per the Irishman, given Usman’s age, he is not the same hungry and dominant fighter he once was. In an interview with MMA Junkie, ‘The Future’ said:
“I understand why he [Islam Makhachev] wants it because of what Kamaru Usman was. If he was calling out this fight when Kamaru was that man, understandable. However, he [Kamaru Usman] is not the same champion that he used to be. He’s a completely different human right now. The dominance that he had at a point in time is not the same, so I think Islam is looking at that as an easy win. An easy first title defense.”
He added:
“Stylistically, it’s also perfect for him. A wrestler, a grappler, someone who wants to get there and doesn’t have the cleanest striking in the world. It’s an easy fight for Islam.
Check out Ian Machado Garry’s comments below (7:55):
Ian Machado Garry has big plans
This weekend in the co-main event of UFC Qatar, Ian Machado Garry will lock horns with Belal Muhammad. Garry is confident in getting past ‘Remember the Name’ after which he hopes to fight for the belt and once he dethrones Islam Makhachev, he plans on making his first title defense against the man who handed him his first ever loss ~ Shavkat Rakhmonov.
After that Garry plans to march foward and put his crosshairs on Carlos Prates, whom the Dubliner already beat earlier this year on short notice .
