Rising UFC welterweight Ian Garry has his sights set on those above him for his next fight, but he doesn't see one former champion as a likely candidate.
Garry extended his perfect professional record to 15-0 last weekend at UFC 303, where he recorded his eighth triumph on mixed martial arts' biggest stage since signing in 2021.
After climbing the ranks with victories over Neil Magny at UFC 292 last August and Geoff Neal this past February at UFC 298, the former Cage Warriors champion was forced to turn his gaze to a figure below him in the pecking order to secure an outing during International Fight Week.
The Irishman opened the June 29 pay-per-view main card against Michael "Venom" Page, a former Bellator standout who debuted successfully at UFC 299 earlier this year.
Despite some backing "MVP's" unique striking to be the difference, Garry edged the Londoner out for a decision win inside the T-Mobile Arena. While the result hasn't seen the Dubliner climb the ranks, it should see him matched against a top contender next time out.
When it comes to who, though, "The Future" doesn't see the former champ sitting inside the top five as an option...
Garry Predicts Usman Won't Want To Fight 'Someone So Young & Dangerous'
During a post-fight interview with TNT Sports' Caroline Pearce in Las Vegas, Garry looked ahead to what could await him upon his return to the cage following UFC 303.
The Irishman has been vocal in calling out fellow undefeated contender Shavkat Rakhmonov since his win over Page. And Garry explained that preference by suggesting both Colby Covington and Kamaru Usman will likely "run."
Colby's never taking the fight. He's running scared. ... After (UFC 303), he's like, 'Yeah, f*ck that, see you later.' He's jumping on someone's rented yacht, acting like it's his," Garry said. "Look, there's Usman, one of the greatest champions we've ever seen. I believe he's gonna run scared and he's not gonna f*cking make the call either. He doesn't want to fight someone so young and dangerous.
I just have to see how the rest of the division plays out now," Garry continued. "I'm in the driving seat. There's only a couple of people I can fight that are gonna be above me.
Garry and Usman briefly trained under the same roof, with the Dubliner spending time at Kill Cliff FC in Florida, where "The Nigerian Nightmare" splits his time with Trevor Wittman's facility.
The former champ hasn't directly addressed a potential fight with Garry in the aftermath of UFC 303. He did, however, assess how far "The Future" is from the title, noting he could be two fights away given the names that still sit above him in the rankings.