Ian Machado Garry walked out of UFC Qatar with the kind of win that forces the division to stop and take notice. He stuffed every takedown Belal Muhammad attempted, outstruck him for three rounds, and earned a clean sweep on the scorecards, 30-27, 30-27, 29-28, against the former welterweight champion. That victory pushed Garry to back-to-back wins and strengthened his claim to being next in line for Islam Makhachev’s first welterweight title defense.

But while Garry built his argument through performances, the new champion has made his preference clear: he wants Kamaru Usman. And that clash of merit versus star power lit up the conversation even more when UFC commentator Jon Anik stepped in, publicly weighing in on who should be next for Makhachev!

Jon Anik throws his weight behind Ian Garry’s title shot against Islam Makhachev

Taking to X, the veteran commentator posted, “If we’re talking straight meritocracy, based upon what Ian Machado Garry has done, he should be next for the new welterweight champ Islam Makhachev. We shall see. Certainly took care of business tonight.”

The Irishman didn’t just win at UFC Qatar, he did it with a style built on precision, control, and refusal to be taken down. Muhammad cracked him early with a right hand. He found the chin again minutes later. But Garry adjusted, slicing with leg kicks, punching in combinations, and stepping out of danger just fast enough to keep the fight in his wheelhouse.

Every takedown entry from ‘Remember The Name’ was stuffed, every grappling attempt smothered. ‘The Future’ fought with the composure of a man who expected the toughest version of Muhammad and still refused to be rattled. Isn’t that the exact blueprint needed against a wrestler as suffocating as Islam Makhachev? However, that’s where the twist comes in.

Fresh off his win over Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 322, the Dagestani champion had stated, “Young fighters are hungry, but Kamaru is still dangerous and one of the best in this game. If you give me the choice and ask me who I want to fight, I will take Kamaru.” From his perspective, young guns like Garry, Carlos Prates, and Michael Morales can wait. But can they? Or more importantly, should they?

While Jon Anik is clearly behind Garry, the fighter himself didn’t let the opportunity escape him, as after the win over Muhammad, he took the microphone and exclaimed, “Belal couldn’t take me down, Islam [Makhachev] you try to take me down. I’m the best in the world. You come into my division and you show up wherever you want in the world and I’ll be there. You’re done. Sign the contract and I will see you soon.”

The Irishman’s momentum, the merit of beating one of the division’s top contenders, and his now 2-fight streak with just 1 loss in his professional career have created pressure that the UFC won’t be able to dodge for long. However, Ian Garry didn’t just fight inside the cage at UFC Qatar!

Garry and Khamzat Chimaev got into a strange altercation backstage at UFC Qatar

So what did Ian Garry do after calling out the new welterweight champion? He walked straight into another fight! Just minutes after beating Belal Muhammad, Garry found himself in the middle of a heated backstage altercation with UFC middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev. And the strangest part? It all started during what seemed like a harmless congratulatory moment.

Garry had approached Arman Tsarukyan to applaud his main-event win when he crossed paths with Chimaev. At first, everything looked normal. No yelling, no trash talk, no warning signs. But as Garry turned to leave for the post-fight press conference, security suddenly stepped between the two. Garry even tried to diffuse it, telling a UFC official, “He’s not going to fight me. He’s good.”

A split second later, ‘Borz’ lunged forward and shoved him, hard enough for security to react instantly. Garry snapped back, shouting, “That’s just childish… You’re meant to be a champion of this sport. Your friend just won, don’t ruin his victory. Arman, congratulations.” In that moment, he wasn’t just defending himself, he was calling out the middleweight king for what he saw as an unnecessary stunt.

And while Ian Garry’s backstage clash with Khamzat Chimaev didn’t produce fists, it did produce something else: attention. ‘The Future’ has the momentum, the numbers, the performance, and now even the broadcast booth behind him. Jon Anik’s endorsement was more than commentary, it was a subtle nudge toward the UFC, a reminder that merit still matters in a sport often driven by names and narratives!