UFC President Dana White has confirmed that Ian Machado Garry will be the designated backup fighter for the upcoming welterweight title clash between Belal Muhammad and Jack Della Maddalena, set for May 10 at UFC 315.
Garry (16-1 MMA, 9-1 UFC) is coming off a hard-fought victory in the main event of UFC on ESPN 66 this past Saturday in Kansas City, Missouri. Facing off against rising contender Carlos Prates (21-7 MMA, 4-1 UFC), Garry secured a unanimous decision win after weathering a tense final round.
Notably, the Irish welterweight stepped in on short notice for that bout, continuing a pattern that began with his late replacement appearance against Shavkat Rakhmonov at UFC 310 in December.
Following his win, Garry spoke with Paul Felder inside the Octagon and confirmed his intention to be in attendance at UFC 315, prepared to step in should either main event fighter be unable to compete.
“21 days’ notice against Shavkat (Rakhmonov). 25 days’ notice against this man (Prates) tonight. He’s a beast,” Garry said. “Well, in two weeks’ time, I’m flying to Canada. I’m the official backup for the world title fight, and I’m next in line for that world title!”
When asked during the UFC Kansas City post-fight press conference about the report, White confirmed the news, stating, "It's official."
“Credit to Ian, takes these fights on short notice,” White said. “He’ll fight anybody. He looked good tonight.”
Belal Muhammad is set to make his first defense of the welterweight title after capturing the belt from Leon Edwards in July 2024. Meanwhile, Jack Della Maddalena enters the bout riding a remarkable 17-fight win streak, including seven victories inside the UFC Octagon, as he looks to cement his place in the division's history.
Ian Machado Garry, whose only UFC loss came in a short-notice bout against Shavkat Rakhmonov last December, delivered a strong performance despite dropping a decision. Prior to that setback, the Irish standout had compiled eight straight wins in the promotion and has now returned to the win column with a hard-earned victory over Carlos Prates.
