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Ian Machado Garry continues his perfect run in MMA, extending his undefeated streak to 18-0 after a hard-fought victory over Michael Page at UFC 303. The 26-year-old Irishman edged out Page in a back-and-forth bout, showcasing his grappling skills to secure a unanimous decision with 29-28 scores from all three judges. Despite Page's success in striking, Garry's grappling prowess, including a near rear-naked choke in the opening minutes, made the difference.
Reflecting on his performance, Garry expressed frustration at not securing the submission.
"I’m f*cking pissed I didn’t land that submission in the first round," he said at the post-fight press conference. "But you know what? I showed so much evolution today. I frustrated him. Like, I snake-charmed the snake-charmer."
Garry's patience and tactical approach paid off, wobbling Page with a right hand in the second round and controlling the pace throughout.
"The key to beating Michael ‘Venom’ Page was patience," Garry emphasized, crediting his team for their strategic planning.
Garry's victory over Page adds to his impressive resume, including wins over Daniel Rodriguez, Neil Magny, and Geoff Neal, positioning him on the cusp of title contention. While he previously targeted a bout with three-time title challenger Colby Covington, Garry now has a new opponent in mind: the undefeated Shavkat Rakhmonov.
“Look, I’m going to have a chat with Hunter [Campbell] and Dana [White] later on and figure out what’s next,” Garry said. “This Shavkat [Rakhmonov], 18-0, undefeated — I’d love to get my hands on him. I’ve trained with him. I have nothing but respect for the guy, but I want to be the first guy to take his ‘0,’ and I know I can do it.”
Rakhmonov has finished every fight in his professional career, defeating notable names like Stephen Thompson, Neil Magny, and Alex Oliveira. Rakhmonov quickly responded to Garry's callout, writing,
“Looks like Ian forgot what happened during those training sessions. I don’t mind reminding him in the future.”
A victory over a top contender like Rakhmonov would likely catapult Garry into title contention, a goal he is determined to achieve.