UFC star Ian Machado Garry has given his thoughts on Carlos Prates being ranked above him at welterweight.
This weekend, Ian Machado Garry will battle former UFC champion Belal Muhammad at UFC Qatar. If he's able to pick up the win, and do so convincingly, he could well put himself in position for a shot at the current king Islam Makhachev.
Islam won the belt by defeating Jack Della Maddalena in the main event of UFC 322 last weekend. On the same card, Carlos Prates, who Ian Machado Garry has previously defeated, also secured a big victory - as did Michael Morales.
With Morales and Prates now both ranked above him, Ian Machado Garry was asked in a recent interview about his feelings towards the rankings.
Ian Machado Garry’s view on Carlos Prates being ranked above him
"They're kind of irrelevant in my mind to a certain extent because the guys that won should be above me now," Machado Garry told MMA Junkie on the UFC welterweight rankings. "I understand that. Prates being above me, silly, but I understand it. He did knock out whatever Leon (Edwards) was in the world, No. 4, whatever it was, and Morales did knock out No. 2 in the world, so they should be there.
"I think I've been like No. 7 for like the last four fights – it's ridiculous. They just don't want to move me up because they know the star power is there, and they're trying to kind of hone it. I think they're having a little Conor McGregor (situation): We can't let this guy disappear. We know what they can do."
“Come this weekend, when I knock Belal out, I shall take that No. 1 spot. I'm fighting for the No. 1 contender fight. When I win this weekend, this entire welterweight division revolves around me."
Quotes via MMA Junkie