UFC Star Sparks Speculation That He's Next in Line to Fight UFC Champ Islam Makhachev

Ian Machado Garry’s latest training excursion has kicked off speculation that he may be preparing for his first UFC title shot.

Currently sitting at #2 in the UFC’s official welterweight rankings, Machado Garry rebounded from his first career loss last year when he took unanimous decisions over Carlos Prates and former UFC Welterweight Champion Belal Muhammad.

Islam Makhachev currently holds the UFC welterweight title after he vacated the lightweight belt and unseated Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 322, and Machado Garry is on the short list of potential contenders for Makhachev’s first 170 lbs. title defense.

UFC Star Ian Machado Garry Arrives In Georgia

Accompanied by a press conference clip where he said he intended to go visit the country specifically to train for a fight with Makhachev, Machado Garry took to Instagram this week to reveal that he’s officially arrived in Georgia.

Georgia has rapidly grown into a hotbed for MMA talent in recent years, and the country’s combat sports profile has been helped by the considerable success that Georgian fighters have found in the UFC. Undefeated UFC Lightweight Champion Ilia Topuria, who represents both Georgia and Spain, also held the UFC featherweight belt before moving up in weight following Makhachev’s decision to vacate the lightweight strap.

Ilia Topuria (red gloves) reacts after the fight against Charles Oliveira (blue gloves) during UFC 317 at T-Mobile Arena. | Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

The UFC bantamweight division was also ruled by Merab Dvalishvili for more than a year, and “The Machine” came just short of making UFC history when he dropped a decision to Petr Yan in his fourth title defense of 2025.

Several Options Available For Islam Makhachev's Next Fight

Machado Garry may obviously just be getting a jump on training his wrestling for a future title shot, but fans are eagerly awaiting confirmation of who Makhachev will face the next time he steps into the Octagon.

The UFC welterweight division has no shortage of contenders available at the moment, and Machado Garry’s former opponent Prates is even in the mix after “The Nightmare” stopped Geoff Neal and former welterweight king Leon Edwards in back-to-back fights. Undefeated contender Michael Morales also has a strong case for his first UFC title shot after stopping Sean Brady in the first round at UFC 322.

Michael Morales (blue gloves) celebrates after defeating Sean Brady (not pictured) in the welterweight bout during UFC 322 at Madison Square Garden. | Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images

Shavkat Rakhmonov, who handed Machado Garry his first career loss at UFC 310, was recently removed from the UFC rankings after announcing that he needs to undergo surgery on his knee. The unbeaten star looked to be the clear next challenger at welterweight after UFC 310, but “Nomad” unfortunately hasn’t competed since sharing the cage with Machado Garry in late 2024.

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