Ian Garry has revealed he prepared an empty picture frame years ago, placed above his Cage Warriors championship belt won in July 2019, with an inscription reading "UFC championship belt coming soon." Garry stated his belief that he can defeat Islam Makhachev if he executes his game plan, while acknowledging Makhachev's elite talent. He closed by telling Makhachev to keep the belt warm.
Ian Garry has made clear he is not simply hoping to fight for a UFC championship — he has been planning for it for years. The Irish welterweight revealed this week that he placed an empty picture frame above his Cage Warriors title belt, won back in July 2019, with an inscription reading "UFC championship belt coming soon." His target: reigning champion Islam Makhachev.
Garry expressed confidence that he can beat Makhachev if he executes his game plan correctly, while also acknowledging the Russian's elite-level ability. He capped the statement with a pointed message, telling Makhachev to keep the belt warm.
Makhachev enters any such conversation as one of the most dominant champions in the sport. The 34-year-old Russian carries a 28-1-0 professional record and currently holds the welterweight title while ranking at the top of the pound-for-pound standings. Fighting out of Eagles MMA as a southpaw, Makhachev combines a suffocating grappling game — averaging 3.2 takedowns and 1.1 submission attempts per 15 minutes — with striking that lands at a remarkable 58 percent accuracy rate. He averages 2.63 significant strikes per minute, a number that understates how efficiently he controls opponents across all phases.
Garry himself built his pro credentials through the Cage Warriors organization before transitioning to the UFC, and he has been vocal about his ambitions ever since. The empty picture frame, it turns out, was never a motivational prop — it was a reservation.
Why it matters
- Garry is positioning himself as a legitimate challenger to the welterweight throne with a public, long-term declaration of intent
- Makhachev's blend of elite wrestling and accurate striking makes him a uniquely difficult puzzle for any challenger to solve
- A matchup of this profile would carry significant divisional weight, with the pound-for-pound rankings directly at stake
