Ian Machado Garry already has a specific name in mind for his UFC return. After losing a welterweight title fight to Islam Makhachev, Garry said unbeaten contender Michael Morales is the matchup that can put him back on a championship track.
Garry made the call during an Eze Talks Sports interview published Tuesday. The former title challenger is still pushing for another run at Makhachev, but he framed Morales as the clearest way to earn it while the division also waits on Carlos Prates. It is a sharper title-lane follow-up to Garry saying he could beat Makhachev in an immediate rematch.
For me, there's only one fight that makes sense right now and that's Michael Morales. When I beat him, I'm the only one who deserves a title shot, even though me and Islam have just fought.
Whether Islam wins, whether Carlos Prates wins the next fight, it's two massive rematches, so I go out there and I finish Michael Morales, get my hand raised, it's undeniable that I'm right back up there for the title shot. So that's what I think needs to be next.
Garry Wants Morales Before Another Title Push
Morales is 19-0 as a professional and has continued rising through the UFC welterweight picture. Garry said the danger of that matchup is exactly why it makes sense, especially with Morales also tied to recent title chatter after MiddleEasy readers saw Sean Brady compare Morales and Prates as Makhachev challengers.
He's long, he's tall, he's confident, and he should be. I think it's a phenomenal fight. Two of the best strikers on the planet, two of the best fighters on the planet going head to head, with the task being fighting the best in the world, going again for that belt. So it's a tough matchup, it's a very dangerous matchup.
A guy who's got a lot of confidence, a lot of trust in his power, but I've fought very, very, very good fighters. I'm afraid of no man walking this planet and I'll step into the octagon with anyone and beat them.
Garry Reassesses The Makhachev Loss
Garry also went back through the Makhachev loss and argued the fight was closer than some reaction suggested. He accepted that Makhachev won the final round, but pushed back on the idea that he was outclassed, a debate that has already included Javier Mendez defending Garry after Dana White criticized the performance.
I scored the fight 3-2 to him. I think it was 2-2 going into the final round and he managed to finish the round on my back, therefore he has to win the fight, but I was more dangerous on the feet, I was able to stop his grappling. I felt like I did everything well, and where I did everything well, so did he.
It was such a high-level fight, such an elite-level fight, but at the end of the day, he did what he needed to do to win the fight in the last moment in the last round. I can only go from this moment on, regroup, gather myself, gather my team, look at what we did correctly, and just continue to go. I'm so young in this sport, I have the whole world at my feet. I've just got to keep going and keep a positive mindset.
Garry also assessed the possible Makhachev-Prates title fight. He saw Prates’ aggression and power as the Brazilian’s clearest route, while identifying Makhachev’s grappling as the central obstacle.
It’s a dangerous fight for both, man. I think where Carlos is different to me is he’s far more aggressive, but equally, I don’t feel like he’s as talented when it comes to stopping the grappling. So it’s a very, very interesting fight. It’s very, very interesting. Can Carlos land that one punch to knock him out? Or can Islam take him down and finish him? It’s tough, you know.
Right now, I feel like my heart is telling me that I think Carlos can get it done. I think Carlos can get it done, and then we run it back again.
The UFC has not announced Garry vs. Morales. For now, it is Garry publicly naming the fight he wants next, with a simple pitch: beat an unbeaten contender, then ask for the title shot again.
