Ireland’s UFC welterweight contender Ian Machado Garry has vowed to “box the ears off” new champion Jack Della Maddalena if and when he stands across the cage from the Australian.

Della Maddalena became the 13th 170-pound champ in UFC history in Montreal on Saturday night, winning a clear-cut decision win over Belal Muhammad to claim his first-ever major world title. He is now likely set to defend his title against lightweight champion Islam Makhachev in his next outing, as a long line of contenders await their opportunity in what has become one of the most intriguing divisions in the sport.

Machado Garry, who served as the UFC 315 backup fighter, had predicted a Muhammad victory and had repeatedly voiced his own candidacy for a title bout — but in his first comments after the fight said that he was happy to sit back and hand Makhachev his opportunity.

“I was wrong, Jack Della Maddalena is the new champion of the division, because Belal Muhammad didn’t shoot any takedowns, mental, I know,” Machado Garry said in a video posted to social media.

“So here are the matchups I think we should see in the welterweight division. I want to see Carlos Prates take on Geoff Neal… Leon Edwards is always moaning and f*cking complaining, let’s give him the most awkward striker in the entire UFC in Michael ‘Venom’ Page.

“Now, you’ve got the new champion, Jack Della Maddalena, great performance but sloppy. Rumor is, Islam Makhachev’s moving up to 170-pounds and if he does, all of us welterweights have to take a step back and give the man the respect he deserves.

“But if negotiations don’t go so well, then you’ve got a tall blonde Irishman who’s ready to take over the UFC and get that belt, and I will smoke Jack Della Maddalena, I’ll box the ears off of him.”

The Dubliner, a former Cage Warriors champion, most recently fought last month where he scored a five-round decision win of his own against the dangerous Brazilian striker Carlos Prates.