Dana White confirms Ian Garry headed to Canada after acing 25-day notice Carlos Prates challenge

UFC CEO Dana White mentions Ian Garry as the official backup for the UFC 315 main event welterweight title bout in Canada.

Dana White confirms Ian Garry headed to Canada after acing 25-day notice Carlos Prates challenge

Ian Garry to travel to Canada to make the weight as the official backup at UFC 315 (via Imago/X)

The UFC welterweight division is currently stacked with many extremely talented fighters on the verge of a UFC title shot. One of those standout fighters is Ian Garry, who recently picked up an impressive win at UFC Kansas City against Carlos Prates. However, it seems that this recent success was not enough for Garry, who remains extremely ambitious for UFC gold.

Following the win against Prates, Garry has now firmly positioned himself at the top spot for a potential title fight. As a result, Garry has officially announced he will be the back-up fighter for Belal Muhammad vs. Jack Della Maddalena. The fight will take place at UFC 315 in Montreal, Canada, and UFC CEO Dana White has also given his official green light.

It’s official. Yup. 

Dana White via UFC Kansas City post-fight presser 

Going into UFC 315, Muhammad is the fan favorite to win the bout, given his impressive momentum and fighting style. The Palestinian-American fighter mastered the technique of pressure fighting, backed by his incredible cardio, which many saw against Leon Edwards. On the other hand, Della Maddalena is mostly known for his striking, but certainly has the confidence to win. 

Muhammad was the one who picked Garry to win against Prates due to his wrestling background and past experience. His prediction was spot on as, despite a short-notice fight, the Irishman picked up the victory via unanimous decision. The champion has frequently credited Garry, and believed the Irishman was one of the biggest challenge for him in the welterweight division. 

Garry has shown great respect toward Muhammad, and now aims to dethrone the Palestinian champion in their potential title fight. After winning the welterweight title, Garry has expressed interest in defending his belt against the pound-for-pound number one, Islam Makhachev, as well. However, before reaching that monumental challenge, there are several tough contenders in the stacked 170-pound division eager to challenge him.

Rising welterweight contender wasn’t impressed by Ian Garry at UFC Kansas City

Ian Garry secured a tough win against Carlos Prates, but his performance still drew criticism from many MMA fans and analysts. Critics specifically pointed out that Garry heavily relied on his wrestling skills instead of aggressively hunting for a spectacular finish. Many expected a flashy knockout or submission, something the Brazilian has given consistently, but not Garry. 

Ian Garry vs. Joaquin Buckley next
Ian Garry vs. Joaquin Buckley next (via X)

While effective, his conservative wrestling strategy has led some to question whether Garry possesses true finishing instincts at elite levels. However, with someone like Muhammad as the welterweight champion, things are looking achievable for the Irishman. His rival, Joaquin Buckley, was present inside the T-Mobile Center and shared his unfiltered opinion on Garry’s performance. 

I think it was trash. I really think Ian Garry had the potential to really kind of put it on Prates but he tried to play it safe the whole time, tried to keep from getting knockout out…. My man trynna wrestle, my man trynna hold on for dear life but I feel like Ian Garry played himself. He really could have had a performance of the night type ending but you know, too scared.

Joaquin Buckley via Inside Fighting 

In his last UFC outing, Buckley delivered a dominant performance at UFC Tampa, defeating Colby Covington via doctor’s stoppage. This victory extended Buckley’s winning streak to six, solidifying his status as a top contender in the welterweight division. Expectedly, his rivalry with Garry has emerged, fueled by competitive rankings and aspirations to get a welterweight title shot. 

Buckley’s explosive fighting style and recent successes position him as a formidable threat, potentially for Garry. The duo were booked to compete against each other last December, but Garry instead fought Shavkat Rakhmonov to save the UFC 310 PPV event. Nevertheless, for now, the result of the UFC 315 main event bout will dictate if Buckley and Garry face each other in 2025.

Also Read: