Unbeaten welterweight star Shavkhat Rakhmonov (above, left) says that a bout opposite Ian Machado Garry would not be a competitive one if and when they meet in the cage.
Dubliner Garry, 26, extended his own undefeated streak to 8-0 in the UFC (15-0 overall) with a points decision over Michael ‘Venom’ Page at last month’s UFC 303 in Las Vegas, and afterwards proposed a high-stakes matchup with his former Kill Cliff FC training partner Rakhmonov for a date last this year.
Kazakh welterweight Rakhmonov arguably owns the finest record in the entire UFC, with a 6-0 ledger within the organisation (18-0 overall) — with every single one of those wins having come by way of knockout or submission. Indeed, the 29-year-old has only seen a third round on two occasions in his decade-long professional career.
And if Garry is his next opponent, Rakhmonov is expecting a similar outcome.
100% finish rate VS 53% finish rate. It won’t even be close if it happens @iangarryMMA https://t.co/nJaglUmnBp
— Shavkat “Nomad” Rakhmonov (@Rakhmonov1994) July 21, 2024
In a message posted to social media, Garry wrote: “December 2024 undefeated vs. undefeated let’s make this happen!”
To which Rakhmonov responded: “100% finish rate vs. 53% finish rate. It won’t even be close if it happens.”
The UFC welterweight title picture should be made somewhat clearer this weekend in Manchester when Leon Edwards defends his 170-pound crown against Belal Muhammad — and, assuming no rematch is required following that bout late on Saturday night — it stands to reason that the next challenger would come from one of Garry or Rakhmovov (or, perhaps, Jack Della Maddalena depending on his injury status).
