Ariel Helwani acknowledges Islam Makhachev’s need to defend his welterweight championship towards Kamaru Usman and doesn’t contest the notion that ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ is among the many greatest 170-pound champions in UFC historical past.
Nevertheless, from 2022 to 2025, Usman has gained only one out of his 4 fights. In the meantime, the No. 2-ranked welterweight contender Ian Machado Garry fought Shavkat Rakhmonov on brief discover in 2024 and misplaced, however then bounced again. In 2025, the Irishman gained on brief discover towards Carlos Prates and lately defeated former champion Belal Muhammad at UFC Qatar.
Garry, the short-notice risk-taker, has been calling out Islam Makhachev ever since beating Muhammad. Nonetheless, opinions throughout the MMA neighborhood relating to the subsequent contender for the title are divided. Usman, Garry, Michael Morales, and Prates are among the names.
Ariel Helwani lately identified how Garry has been energetic and even taken short-notice fights this 12 months. Therefore, the subsequent apparent selection is ‘The Future’ over Usman. Rejecting Ali Abdelaziz’s recent comments, Helwani posted:
Ian Machado Garry has carried out extra previously 12 months — gained extra, fought extra, and helped the UFC extra — than Kamaru Usman has within the final 4 years. Prior to now 12 months, Ian Machado Garry has fought thrice: a short-notice combat towards Shavkat, a short-notice win in a major occasion towards Carlos Prates, after which he defeated former champion Belal Muhammad. I’m sorry, Ian is the apparent selection over Kamaru.”
Try Ariel Helwani’s feedback beneath:
UFC Approached Islam Makhachev for January 2026 Struggle, Ian Machado Garry Amongst Potential Opponents
As per Ali Abdelaziz, the UFC reached out to newly minted UFC welterweight champion Islam Makhachev to defend his 170-pound championship in January 2026. The MMA supervisor acknowledged that the 2 opponents accessible had been Ian Machado Garry and Kamaru Usman.
However Makhachev’s coaching accomplice and pal, Khabib Nurmagomedov, rejected the proposal. Abdelaziz advised MMA Junkie:
“Even the UFC reached out to me; they had been asking [Islam] to combat a major occasion in January. He thought of it, and Khabib stated, ‘Hey, shut up.’ Truthfully, Kamaru’s identify was within the combine for January. Ian Garry’s identify was within the combine, too.”
Try Ali Abdelaziz’s feedback beneath:
Probably, Nurmagomedov didn’t second the provide since Makhachev made his welterweight debut at UFC 322 in November, and a combat so quickly after could possibly be taxing as a result of he would want to endure one other weight reduce and coaching camp.
