Ian Machado Garry didn’t just step into UFC Qatar looking for a win, he stepped in looking for validation. With Islam Makhachev now ruling the welterweight division after dismantling Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 322, Garry knew he needed more than a solid performance, he needed a statement. He said exactly that during fight week media day as he confessed, “My entire goal this weekend is to go out there and leave it undoubtable, unquestionable, undeniable that Ian Machado Garry is the best welterweight walking the planet right now, and Islam Makhachev better back it up and challenge me for that belt.”

And beating the former champion Belal Muhammad, in the fashion he believed he would, was supposed to seal his case. And after outstriking Muhammad, stuffing every takedown, and calling Makhachev out with fire in his voice, Ian Garry revealed a surprising twist in his post-fight interview: he wants Ilia Topuria and the people of Georgia to help him topple the Dagestani champion!

Ian Garry sides with Ilia Topuria and Georgia in his quest to take on Islam Makhachev

That revelation became the headline when Championship Rounds shared a clip on X summarizing Garry’s unexpected plan with the caption “Ian Garry says he’s gonna train with Ilia Topuria to prepare for Islam Makhachev.” And the Irishman explained it in full with a combination of humor, chaos, and genuine strategy.

‘The Future’ stated, “I have already spoke to Ilia, have already spoke to the guys… I would absolutely love to go back to Madrid and I would love to look, hey, when we speak about Georgia, uh Ilia, he can help me out a lot, you know what I mean? With my friends in Russia…my friends in Georgia over here, we’re going to stop the Russians from having their success. We’re going to stop the Dagestanis from having that success and we’re going to shut them down and we’re going to take his head clean off his shoulders.”

It was a wild statement, but one rooted in something Garry has seemingly been plotting for months. Before UFC Qatar, he openly discussed visiting Georgia to sharpen his wrestling, the same Georgian wrestling tradition that helped Merab Dvalishvili beat Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC 311. In an interview with Setanta Sports, he claimed, “I want help, and I want bodies to help me prepare and beat Islam Makhachev. So Georgia, my brothers, I will see you soon.”

Training with Ilia Topuria in Madrid? That’s the finishing touch. And the timing couldn’t be more dramatic. With Shavkat Rakhmonov still out of action with no concrete timeline for his return, Carlos Prates and Michael Morales rising, and Garry sliding into a two-fight streak, the division is reshaping itself fast. As such, Garry knows beating Muhammad wasn’t enough; he needed a narrative, a plan, and a way to show he’s preparing for Makhachev on every level.

And who better than Ilia Topuria, the undefeated lightweight champion, a man deeply connected to Georgian wrestling culture, and someone who already has his own tension with Makhachev’s team? But while the world sees a Dagestani juggernaut on a historic 16-fight winning streak, the Irishman has already begun picking at the gaps in the newly crowned welterweight champion’s armor!

‘The Future’ claims Makhachev has never “seen anyone” like him inside the Octagon

Before UFC Qatar, Ian Garry had already begun dissecting Islam Makhachev’s game with the confidence of a man who genuinely believes he is built to break the Dagestani puzzle. And his assessment wasn’t vague hype; it was technical, detailed, and aimed directly at the one area where he believes the champion is vulnerable.

Speaking at the media day, the Irish fighter first acknowledged reality as he stated, “Islam’s phenomenal, so he sticks to the southpaw stance. He looked far cleaner on the feet against Jack this fight, and I was very impressed by that.” But then came the shift and the part that raised eyebrows. Garry insisted that despite Makhachev’s dominance over Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 322, “there’s still holes.”

But what are these gaps, exactly? Garry pointed out, “I’m so intelligent, I’m so smart on the feet, I’m so elusive. I’m long, I’m tall, I’m in rangy, I’m undefeated against southpaws. So when we face off, he’s got to get to my leg, and he’s got to be able to catch me when I’m longer and taller than anybody he’s ever faced before. But also, I’m just wickedly fast. He’s never seen anyone as fast as me.”

His biggest weapon? Speed. Not just regular speed, but the kind he described as, “He can pull in bantamweights, and they’re never going to be as fast as me. I’m the fastest in the world, and that’s my specialty.”

Whether his strategy is genius, chaos, or a little bit of both, the Irishman has succeeded in one thing: making the conversation impossible to ignore. From leveraging Georgian wrestling culture to aligning himself with Ilia Topuria, someone who has his own tensions with the Dagestani team, Garry is reshaping the chessboard before the pieces even move. The question now becomes, will he be the next in line to take a shot at Islam Makhachev? What do you think? Let us know in the comments below!