The welterweight division in the UFC is currently experiencing a flurry of activity. Recently, the promotion announced a title eliminator fight between two undefeated fighters and former training partners, Ian Garry and Shavkat Rakhmonov. This intriguing matchup has generated significant excitement. As such, Garry’s comments have only increased anticipation for the upcoming fight.
Ian Garry and Shavkat Rakhmonov once both trained together at Kill Cliff FC a while back. Their training partnership ended when Garry moved to Chute Boxe in Sao Paulo, Brazil, for further training. Due to their brief period of training together, the excitement has grown further. On top of that, the Irishman recently chimed in and stated his wish to leave a blemish on Rakhmonov’s flawless UFC career record.
Honestly, I was pushing for the Shavkat fight. I was pushing for it. Undefeated vs. undefeated. We‘ve trained together… We both respect each other. He probably respects me a lot less than I respect him, which is okay, which is okay. That‘s the why it should be at that point in our careers. But the truth is, I will take his 0 and I will take that belt.
Ian Garry on his official YouTube channel
Interestingly, Garry wasn’t the first choice as an opponent for Rakhmonov at UFC 310. Initially, the Kazakh fighter was scheduled to face the newly crowned UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad. However, due to Muhammad’s unexpected toe injury, the promotion had to cancel the fight. This situation left Rakhmonov without an opponent for his bout at UFC 310.
Ian Garry on his upcoming fight against Shavkat Rakhmonov:
“We’ve trained together. We know how good we are… But the truth is, I will take his 0 and I will take that belt.” 👀
🎥 @iangarryMMA #UFC310 #UFC #MMApic.twitter.com/8sluCSoezk
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) November 21, 2024
After Muhammad’s withdrawal, Rakhmonov called out several notable fighters in the UFC welterweight division. When he was unable to secure a matchup against some former champions, Garry stepped in to fight the Kazakh star.
Rakhmonov expressed his appreciation for the Irishman’s sportsmanship in taking on the fight with only a few weeks’ notice. However, like Garry, the Kazakh fighter also remains undefeated. He is determined to put a blemish on the Irishman’s perfect record.
Shavkat Rakhmonov asserts confidence in his skills to beat Ian Garry
Similar to Shavkat Rakhmonov, Ian Garry is an emerging prospect in the UFC welterweight division who has gained recognition through his impressive performances. Throughout his successful career in the UFC, the Irish fighter has defeated several formidable opponents. Most recently, Garry claimed victory in his fight against Michael Page at UFC 303.
Shavkat Rakhmonov is confident ahead of his fight against Ian Garry (Image via Imago)Despite this success, Rakhmonov remains unfazed by the Irishman as they prepare to face each other in UFC 310. In a recent interview with Ariel Helwani, the Kazakh star reinforced his desire to remind Garry of their past training sessions together. Additionally, Rakhmonov expressed confidence that he would be the first fighter to defeat the Irishman in the UFC.
If he (Ian Garry) wants to take my zero, he can try, but I know the same thing is going to happen that‘s happened in the training. I‘m going to keep it the same way and I‘m pretty confident that I‘m going to beat him.
Shavkat Rakhmonov via The Ariel Helwani Show
The recent exchanges between Garry and Rakhmonov have heightened the anticipation for their upcoming clash. It will be interesting to see how this intriguing matchup unfolds for the fighters. With their perfect records on the line, both Garry and Rakhmonov are prepared to deliver the best performances of their careers.
