UFC fighter Ian Garry isn’t pleased with the UFC’s decision to replace Shavkat Rakhmonov with Jack Della Maddalena for the upcoming welterweight title fight against champion Belal Muhammad at UFC 315.
Initially, Rakhmonov was scheduled to challenge Muhammad for the title, but the champion suffered an injury that postponed their showdown. After Muhammad recovered, the fight was rescheduled, only for Rakhmonov to withdraw due to his own injury. As a result, the UFC announced that Jack Della Maddalena would take his place—a decision that contender Ian Garry believes is unfair. In a recent Instagram video, Garry shared his thoughts on the matter.
“I had a chat with my agent. I rang him when I heard, when they told me this news, and I was livid. Still am to this day,” Garry said on his Instagram. “I had a No. 1 contender’s fight where the guy now has to get knee reconstruction and is out for a year! But you know, it’s not my fault. I didn’t stab his knee 20-something times and boot the leg off. 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.”
The welterweight title fight was originally meant to feature Shavkat Rakhmonov challenging Belal Muhammad. However, with Rakhmonov now sidelined, the UFC has opted to bring in a replacement who, according to Garry, hasn’t been active due to an injury.
“They’re pulling in a guy who hasn’t fought in a year because he had an operation on his forearm after breaking it in his last fight. He hasn’t been active,” Garry continued. “So they’re giving it to Jack Della Maddalena to fight Belal Muhammad because I’m coming off a loss. That’s OK. I’ll get you all. You’re all mine.”
Garry believes he is more deserving of the title shot, citing his past fight against Rakhmonov, where he came close to victory. He also revealed that he had initially stepped in on short notice to save the card and feels he has earned his right to a title opportunity, despite not securing a win against Rakhmonov.
“Do I think I won the fight against Shavkat? No. I believe, on that night and to this day, that Shavkat won three rounds and I won two,” Garry admitted. “But I was very close to winning that fight… In my mind, I was a takedown away from winning, and I would love to run it back one day. I would love to avenge that loss. And I’m excited because I believe that guy is going to hold the belt one day. We said it. We both knew it, and I said it during fight week—I believe me and Shavkat are going to meet each other far more than once in our careers.”
In the meantime, Garry remains open to facing any opponent the UFC puts in front of him, as long as it brings him closer to a title shot.
“I would like to fight during International Fight Week, June 28,” Garry stated. “I don’t care who. I don’t care who they want to put in front of me. I just want to fight and prove that I’m the best in the world.”
