Ian Machado Garry’s sudden revelation about visiting Georgia has sparked a wave of speculation. Fans are already connecting the dots, believing the top welterweight contender could be next in line to face Islam Makhachev. But as ‘The Future’ makes his way to Tbilisi, the Dagestani champion appears largely unfazed, even going one step further by trolling Garry with Conor McGregor’s name.

For the most part, Ian Garry’s trip to Georgia will involve plenty of wrestling. At the UFC Qatar post-fight presser, the Irishman revealed that he is already in talks with Ilia Topuria to train in his native country. However, despite Garry taking these significant steps, the welterweight champion appears unbothered, believing that a few months of training will not be enough to match his skill set.  

Islam Makhachev trolls Ian Garry after Georgia visit 

“In Georgia, he’ll probably improve in some areas. I’ve been wrestling my whole life, not just for 2-3 months. So, I don’t care about that anymore,” Islam Makhachev told Ushatayka. “Throughout my recent fights, someone brings someone into their camps. They bring in some wrestlers or whatever. Oliveira brought in some guy from Iranian national team. Zero effect. So don’t waste your time.”   

As the reigning welterweight champion pointed out, Charles Oliveira had trained with Iranian wrestler Alireza Noei for three years ahead of their clash. Even with that preparation, the Dagestani went on to dominate the Brazilian and claim the lightweight title at UFC 280. But this time, Ian Garry appears determined to push himself to the limit in Georgia as he prepares to continue what he hopes becomes an iconic rivalry.

Framing the matchup with shades of Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Conor McGregor once again, ‘The Future’ has labeled a potential clash with Islam Makhachev as a showdown between protégés. While there is some appeal to that angle, the 170-pound kingpin does not seem impressed and brushes off Garry as an AliExpress version of ‘The Notorious’. 

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“Like they say: from AliExpress,” Makhachev roasted the Irishman further in the interview.   

Now, with that unhinged trolling, fans were expecting the welterweight contender to fire back with his own words. And he actually did. 

Ian Garry responds to the welterweight champ 

As the 11th UFC two-division champ didn’t pull back any punches while giving a warning and also trolling Ian Garry, it was time for the Irishman to return the favor. Reacting to Makhachev’s witty jab, ‘The Future’ answered with class as he revealed that he can learn very fast.

“There’s no one in the world that learns faster than me,” Garry said, according to a thread post by Verdict MMA.

Well, ‘The Future’ might not be the best grappler in the world, but he definitely possesses an all-around game. To be more honest, the 28-year-old’s takedown defense might be one of the best in the division, as he completely dismantled Belal Muhammad at the UFC Qatar co-main event. But does that mean he can go toe-to-toe with the Dagestani juggernaut? 

Judging by pure grappling merit, it would be very tough for Garry to match Makhachev’s relentless takedown attempts and dangerous submissions. So, the sooner the Irishman lets go of the idea of rolling around with the Dagestani, the better it might be. Still, can ‘The Future’ add a few cheeky sweeps to get back on his feet while training in Georgia? Why not?

That said, as Ian Garry and Islam Makhachev try to get on each other’s nerves, do you think the UFC would actually make this fight next? Let us know in the comments section below.