Ian Garry calls himself Islam Makhachev's most dangerous opponent

Ian Garry has declared himself the most dangerous challenger Islam Makhachev has ever faced, making the bold claim ahead of their upcoming welterweight title fight.

Garry pointed to recent championship upsets elsewhere in the UFC as motivation, citing the title changes involving Sean Strickland and Justin Gaethje as proof that dominant champions can be beaten. The Irishman argued that he brings a more complete skill set than any fighter Makhachev has previously encountered and that the champion's reign is more vulnerable than many believe.

Makhachev enters the contest as welterweight champion and the top-ranked pound-for-pound fighter in the sport, carrying a record of 28 wins and just one loss at 34 years old. The Russian, who trains out of Eagles MMA, is one of the most efficient grapplers in the division, averaging 3.2 takedowns per 15 minutes and 1.1 submission attempts in the same span. His striking accuracy of 58 percent also underlines the control he typically exerts over opponents.

The two champions Garry referenced have both validated the upset narrative he is leaning into. Strickland, the 35-year-old middleweight champion out of Xtreme Couture, carries a 31-7 record and has built his title reign on relentless output, landing 6.04 significant strikes per minute. Gaethje, now lightweight champion at 37, owns a 28-5 record and leads all active title holders with 6.48 significant strikes landed per minute, sharing Makhachev's striking accuracy figure of 58 percent.

Why it matters

• Makhachev's pound-for-pound status makes any challenger's path extraordinarily steep, raising the stakes of Garry's confidence
• Garry's claim of being more well-rounded directly targets the grappling-heavy blueprint that has defined Makhachev's dominance
• The welterweight title picture could shift dramatically if Garry can back up his words inside the cage