Ian Machado Garry offers bold prediction for fight with new champ after UFC 315

Has "The Future" done enough to stay in the welterweight title mix?

Apr 26, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, UNITED STATES; Ian Machado Garry (red gloves) reacts after defeating Carlos Prates (not pictured) during UFC Fight Night at T-Mobile Center. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images / William Purnell-Imagn Images

Ian Garry Machado was locked into the UFC 315 main event between Belal Muhammad and Jack Della Maddalena and has broken his silence about his place within the UFC Welterweight Championship picture.

UFC CEO Dana White all but confirmed the scenario regarding former UFC Featherweight Champion Ilia Topuria and his next fight. Had Muhammad come away victorious, Topuria would have moved up to challenge Makhachev.

Instead, Della Maddalena enters the picture.

READ MORE: Jack Della Maddalena welcomes Islam Makhachev fight after UFC 315 title win

Ian Machado Garry (red gloves) reacts with Carlos Prates (blue gloves) after the fight during UFC Fight Night at T-Mobile Center. / William Purnell-Imagn Images

JDM Speaks To UFC Brass

Despite Garry recognizing the significance of a possible champ vs. champ fight, he said he will be ready in case the promotion has to make an adjustment.

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A post shared by UFC (@ufc)

Machado Garry Throws His Hat In Title Fight Conversation

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A post shared by ‘The Future’ Ian Machado Garry (@iangarry)

"All of us welterweights have to step back and give the man respect he deserves," Garry said in the video. "But if negotiations don’t go so well, then you’ve got a tall, blonde Irishman who’s ready to take over the UFC and get that belt. And I will smoke Jack Della Maddalena. I’ll box the ears off him."

Regardless, though, it looks as if Makhachev intends to fight Della Maddalena and take a crack at becoming a two-division champion in a now-viral tweet.

Islam Makhachev Targets Champ-Champ Status

Time to become a double champion #inshaAllah
Let’s go

— Makhachev Islam (@MAKHACHEVMMA) May 11, 2025

"Time to become a double champion," Makhachev tweeted. Let's go."

It appears the UFC still has yet to make a final decision regarding the headliner for UFC 317 next month, but if CBO Hunter Campbell's words to Della Maddalena ring true, an announcement is forthcoming sooner rather than later.

For now, Machado Garry appears excited about the ever-evolving possibilities that lie ahead, even going as far as to predict which welterweight fights should be booked moving forward. These included options specifically targeting possibilities such as Leon Edwards vs. Michael Page and Geoff Neal vs. Carlos Prates, to name a few.

Islam Makhachev (red gloves) leaves the octagon after defeating Renato Moicano (not pictured) in a lightweight title fight during UFC 311 at Intuit Dome. / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Whether Machado Garry sees his hypothetical matchups come true is to be determined, but from a forward-thinking perspective, he clearly has the right idea.

Now, it's up to the UFC to work its magic.

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