Ian Machado Garry calls out Michael Morales for title eliminator

Love him or hate him, one thing that remains true about Ian Machado Garry is his desire to compete against the best in his division.

Unwilling to avoid any of the big names, the Irishman has had an impressive resume since joining the UFC in 2022. The only man to ever beat both Michael “Venom” Page and Carlos Prates in the octagon, alongside wins over veteran Neil Magny and former world champion Belal Muhammad, makes the 28-year-old contender a legit prospect. His antics outside of fighting have earned him a bad rep among fans, but he doesn’t let that get in the way of a surging career inside the cage.

After coming up short against champion Islam Makhachev, Ian Machado Garry is desperate to get back into the winner’s circle. With Makhachev potentially defending his title against the aforementioned Prates next, Garry has sought out an opportunity.

Michael Morales, the #3-ranked welterweight, has a perfect 19-0 record, with seven of those wins coming in the UFC. Morales has a strong claim as the next title challenger, building a respectable run with a 71% finish ratio in the company.

But Garry wants Morales next.

“I can only go from this moment on. Regroup. Gather myself. Gather my team; look at what we did correctly. And just continue to go. I’m so young in this sport. I have the whole world at my feet. I just go to keep going and keep a positive mindset.”

“For me, there’s only one fight that makes sense right now, and that’s Michael Morales. You know, when I beat him, I’m the only one who deserves a title shot. Even though me and Islam have just fought, whether Islam wins, whether Carlos Prates wins the next fight, it’s two massive rematches. So, I go out there, and I finish Michael Morales and get my hand raised; it’s undeniable that I’m right back up there for the title shot. So, that’s what I think needs to be next.”