Ian Garry wants to fight Kamaru Usman or Colby Covington in Dublin.
Garry is coming off a dominant unanimous decision win over Neil Magny at UFC 292 earlier this month. Post-fight, he revealed his intentions of not only fighting Stephen Thompson next, but having another three fights before he gets a welterweight title shot.
His reasoning was so that he could properly train his grappling and jiu-jitsu so he could be well-prepared for all the wrestlers in the division.
With UFC president Dana White also revealing the plan was to go back to Dublin at some point with Garry as the headliner, the 25-year-old knows exactly who he wants to face on home turf.
“For me to be the best ever or to be considered the GOAT, I need to continue to grow my skill set and continue to prove it against some of the best. Now, a lot of people haven’t seen my grappling, they’ve only seen my striking,” Garry told BJ Penn. “They’ve only seen my striking because I’ve only needed to use my striking, that’s the beauty of this. I’ve been able to shut people down with strikes, I’ve been able to shut everybody’s wrestling down, nobody has taken me down, nobody has got me into a grappling exchange.
“When they do, they will see how good I am. I’m excited to prove my grappling, I’m excited to prove my jiu-jitsu against the likes of Usman and Colby for example who are the two best in the world other than the champion. So, let me go in there in a couple of months after I beat Wonderboy, let me get one of those guys as the headline of UFC Dublin. Let me show the world just how good I am and let me put on a clinic of what mixed martial arts looks like, striking, grappling, wrestling, let me show how to mix it all better than everybody. That’s what I’m excited for.”
Of course, Thompson was said to have turned down a fight with Garry per White, so there's no guarantee that fight happens. However, things can change — money talks — and Garry still seems confident of the fight happening as he revealed who he thinks his next three opponents will be.
“Why wouldn’t it be exciting to have one of those guys?” Garry added. “Look, I believe three of my next four fights are Wonderboy, Usman, Colby and there will be one other guy in there. Then, I will earn my title shot, but that’s two years away for me.”
Usman hasn't competed since his losing his welterweight title rematch against Leon Edwards earlier this year. Covington, meanwhile, is expected to challenge Edwards at UFC 295 in November.
Follow Us
Subscribe
