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Ian Machado Garry is not holding back his frustration after learning that Jack Della Maddalena will fight for the UFC welterweight championship at UFC 315. Belal Muhammad (24-3 MMA, 15-3 UFC) was originally set to defend his title against Shavkat Rakhmonov, but an injury forced the undefeated contender out of the bout. As a result, the UFC turned to Della Maddalena (17-2 MMA, 7-0 UFC), who will now challenge Muhammad for the belt in the May 10 headliner at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Canada.
For Machado Garry (15-1 MMA, 8-1 UFC), the decision doesn’t sit well. He believes he had a stronger case for the title shot, despite coming off a loss to Rakhmonov at UFC 310.
Ian Garry’s Frustration Boils Over
Taking to Instagram, Machado Garry expressed his disbelief at the UFC’s matchmaking.
“Why aren’t I fighting for the title? I had a chat with my agent. I rang him when he told me about this news, and I was livid – still am to this day. I had a No. 1 contender’s fight where the guy (Rakhmonov) now has to get knee reconstruction and is out for a year. But you know, it’s not my fault. I didn’t do it. I didn’t stab his knee 20 something times and boot the leg off.”
His frustration stemmed from the fact that his loss came at the hands of Rakhmonov, the man originally scheduled to fight Muhammad. With Rakhmonov sidelined, Machado Garry felt he was the natural replacement—but the UFC thought otherwise.
“I’m not fighting for a world title because I’m coming off a loss, and they’re giving it to a guy who’s been injured for a year, and they think that’s more exciting, but they’re wrong.”
Della Maddalena’s Case for the Title Shot
Jack Della Maddalena hasn’t been the most active fighter, but his resume speaks for itself. The Australian is riding an impressive 17-fight winning streak, with his last victory coming in a comeback knockout of Gilbert Burns at UFC 299 in March 2024. While he took time off to recover from a broken forearm, the UFC still saw him as a worthy challenger.
For Machado Garry, however, this decision is baffling.
“The world title fight was meant to be Shavkat Rakhmonov taking on Belal Muhammad, but Shavkat apparently is out injured. I wonder how that happened? Now they’re pulling in a guy who hasn’t fought in a year because he’s had an operation on his forearm because he broke it in his last fight, hasn’t fought in a long time, and hasn’t been active. So, they’ve given it to Jack Della Maddalena because I’m coming off of a loss. That’s OK. Don’t worry. I’ll get you all. You’re all mine.”
What’s Next for Machado Garry?
Machado Garry’s frustration is understandable, but the reality remains: the UFC rarely gives immediate title shots to fighters coming off a loss. Even though his defeat came against the very man who was supposed to fight for the belt, the optics of a loss don’t help his case.
That said, Machado Garry remains a top contender. If he can bounce back with a dominant win, it’s only a matter of time before he gets his shot at UFC gold.
Do you think Machado Garry should have gotten the title fight instead? Or did the UFC make the right call? Let us know in the comments!
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