Ian Machado Garry believes a dominant performance at UFC Qatar will secure him a welterweight title shot in 2026—and he already has an unconventional plan for preparing to face Islam Makhachev.
Before Arman Tsarukyan and Dan Hooker headline the event, Garry will take on former champion Belal Muhammad in Doha. Confident that a win will propel him to the top of the contender list, the Irishman has been thinking ahead to what it would take to dethrone the seemingly unstoppable Makhachev.
His answer: training in Georgia.
Garry revealed during fight week that he intends to travel to the country to prepare, calling on Georgian fighters and wrestlers to help him crack the Makhachev puzzle. “When I fight Islam Makhachev… all the Georgians out there, I need help,” he said. “I want bodies to help me prepare and beat Islam Makhachev. So Georgia, my brothers, I will see you soon.”
Georgia already has recent success against Dagestani fighters, with Merab Dvalishvili defeating Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC 311 earlier this year.
Garry has been vocal about the welterweight title picture and even predicted earlier in the year that Jack Della Maddalena would knock out Makhachev at UFC 322—before later criticising Della Maddalena’s performance as one of the worst title defences ever.
Now, with his focus on Belal Muhammad, Garry believes he is one win away from putting himself next in line to challenge the new champion.
