The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Welterweight division is beginning to move with several key fighters being booked, including former champion Leon Edwards vs. Carlos Prates and, of course, the title itself being defended by Jack Della Maddalena vs. former Lightweight king Islam Makhachev.
But one big name missing from the mix is No. 7-ranked Ian Garry, who has been quiet since scoring his first UFC main event win earlier this year in Kansas City. The Irishman was called out recently by Sean
Brady, who accused Garry of ducking him — and even turning down a proposed UFC Vancouver headliner.
Garry fired back this week, denying those claims and making it clear he’s not avoiding anyone.
“No. Not a chance. I have never ducked anyone in my life, and I never will,” Garry told Games Hub recently. “I’m in negotiations with the UFC. Sean Brady just had a fight with Leon Edwards, where he was told behind the scenes that he was gonna be the number one contender. He now has to fight again, because Islam Makhachev is moving up. I’m in a position where I have proven time and time again that I’ll fight anyone, anywhere, anytime, and I’m as game as game gets.”
“When I beat Sean Brady, I want it publicly known to the world that I’m the next in line,” Garry added. “There’s no one skipping me. There’s no Kamaru Usman coming up. There’s no Carlos Prates coming up. I’m next in line. Shavkat comes back from injury. No, I’m here. I’m next in line.”
“If the UFC gives that word, the UFC, stick to that,” Garry concluded. “That’s something I give them credit for. They stick to that word. So I want it publicly announced that if me and Sean Brady are fighting, it’s the number one contender fight and it’s publicly announced as that. So Sean Brady should shut up and let me do all the heavy lifting and he just needs to show up on fight night and lose.”
Garry, 27, is 9-1 inside the Octagon, with his lone setback coming against Shavkat Rakhmonov at UFC 310. Whether or not his rumored Vancouver booking ever existed, one thing is clear: he wants Brady next … but only with a title shot on the line.
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