UFC head honcho Dana White recently dropped a bombshell from his war room. This included the revelation of UFC 317 headliner: Ilia Topuria vs. Charles Oliveira, followed by the promotion’s return to Chicago after 6 years, which would be headlined by Dricus Du Plessis and Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319. But the real shocker? Islam Makhachev is moving up to welterweight to challenge new champ Jack Della Maddalena after vacating his lightweight belt.

The dream is well and truly alive, and after what happened at UFC 315, the fabled question of challenging his brotherhood with Belal Muhammad is also out of the question! Moreover, Della Maddalena’s heroics in Montreal not only cemented this massive super-fight with the Dagestani but also opened up the door for a blockbuster welterweight matchup, which the newly-crowned champ also agrees. 

The 170-pound division is stacked with contenders eagerly waiting for their shot at gold. However, the soon-to-be former lightweight champ will get the chance to fulfill his dream of becoming a two-division champion. Still, 170lbs needs big fights to keep the momentum going. With Shavkat Rakhmonov out with an injury, the biggest contender’s bout to watch is Sean Brady vs. Ian Garry. For the unversed, Brady is coming off a dominant mauling of former champ Leon Edwards at UFC London. 

Meanwhile, the Irishman was successful in taking the Octagon ‘O’ of Carlos Prates at UFC Kansas City. Both are primed for a title shot, and this battle could very well steal the spotlight and potentially shape the next chapter once the welterweight super-fight wraps up later this year. Jack Della Maddalena also shared his thoughts on this #1 contender’s fight.

The Aussie on the Ariel Helwani show said: “A brilliant fight! I think Ian Garry might beat him. I think Sean Brady’s striking isn’t amazing. I think if he had the right footwork. I think he could keep it standing, but I [also] think if it does hit the ground, then my opinion would change pretty quickly. I think he’d be in a bit of trouble. So, it’s an interesting match-up. Striker vs Grappler, I believe.”

#2 Sean Brady vs. #6 Ian Garry? That’s definitely a fight to look forward to. But there’s a twist! Joaquin Buckley is set to face Kamaru Usman at UFC Atlanta on June 14. If ‘New Mansa’ pulls off the win, he’ll have both Usman and Covington on his resume, two former kings of the division. That could seriously shake things up, as that would make the welterweight title puzzle more complex than ever before. 

However, Sean Brady is well aware that Islam Makhachev’s entry into the 170-pound division still comes with plenty of uncertainties. Still, he’s already made his move by accepting a matchup against Ian Machado Garry. With that fight locked in, Brady might be positioning himself ahead of the chaos. Now, let’s see what he has to say.

Sean Brady shares his thoughts on the fight vs. Ian Garry 

Sean Brady was on the cusp of earning the next title shot until Islam Makhachev decided to shake up the welterweight division by moving up. Now, everything’s in flux. Jack Della Maddalena is already pushing for a title defense in Perth, and Ian Garry has once again thrown his name in the mix as a potential backup.

In a recent video on X, he declared, “The rumor is Islam Makhachev is moving up to 170 lbs. If he does, then all of us welterweights have to take a step back and give the man the respect he deserves. If negotiations don’t go well, you’ve got a tall, blonde Irishman ready to take over the UFC and get that belt. I will smoke Jack Della Maddalena.”

So, with everyone making their moves, the Philly native wasn’t just going to sit back and watch. Sean Brady believes the Ian Garry fight makes perfect sense, especially now that Makhachev and Della Maddalena are set to face off.

Speaking on The Ariel Helwani Show, Brady said: “If he wants to move up, if he’s going to move up… is he going to stay there, though? Because if not, now you’re holding up two divisions. So if he’s going to move up, then me and Ian [Machado Garry] are fighting. I know that’s the fight to make, and yeah, that’s just the way I see it.”

Now that the Dagestani juggernaut is officially moving up, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Sean Brady vs. Ian Machado Garry announced soon. In fact, that matchup would be a perfect addition to the Della Maddalena vs. Makhachev card, if negotiations fall into place. But the real question is: Will the Irishman accept the fight with open arms, or will he hold out and wait for a title shot?

With that being said, do you think the welterweight division has become a little chaotic since Islam Makhachev made his entry? Also, please share your thoughts on who you believe is the next best contender once the superfight gets done.