Ian Machado Garry has outlined his ambitious plan to prepare for a future fight with Islam Makhachev, revealing that he wants to train with wrestlers in Georgia to improve his chances of beating the welterweight champion.
Garry, who faces former champion Belal Muhammad at UFC Qatar, believes a dominant win will earn him a title shot in 2026. Confident he can leapfrog other contenders, the Irish fighter has already begun thinking about how to deal with Makhachev’s elite grappling.
Speaking during fight week in Doha, Garry said he plans to travel to Georgia to train with local wrestlers. He called on Georgian fighters and training partners to help him prepare for what he expects to be the biggest challenge of his career.
He also dismissed talk of Makhachev potentially fighting Kamaru Usman next, insisting that his performance in Qatar should secure him the opportunity instead.
Garry’s comments referenced the success of Georgian fighters in the UFC, including Merab Dvalishvili, who defeated Umar Nurmagomedov earlier this year.
Despite his ambitions, Garry had previously predicted that Jack Della Maddalena would knock out Makhachev at UFC 322. After that fight ended in a dominant win for Makhachev, Garry criticised Della Maddalena’s performance, calling it one of the worst title defences he had seen.
