Before looking ahead to his next official booking, UFC welterweight contender Ian Garry has his sights set on a different kind of assignment in Manchester later this month.
Garry is just days on from his latest victory inside the Octagon, as the Irishman extended his perfect professional record to 15-0 with an eighth triumph since arriving on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage in 2021.
The result came at the expense of former Bellator standout Michael “Venom” Page, who was narrowly outpointed by “The Future” in the main card opener of this past weekend’s UFC 303 pay-per-view event.
In the aftermath, Garry has mentioned names such as former champion Kamaru Usman and the highly regarded Shavkat Rakhmonov as potential next opponents en route to the welterweight gold.
But the Dubliner is also seemingly planning to make the most of the possibility — however slim — that he could compete with gold on the line in just a few weeks’ time…
Garry Says He’s Offered To Be Backup Fighter For UFC 304 Main Event
During a backstage interview with Caroline Pearce for TNT Sports post-fight, Garry reflected on his success inside Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena, assessed his next steps, and looked ahead to his division’s upcoming title joust.
In one of two championship contests set for the promotion’s return to Manchester, England, for UFC 304 on July 27, Leon Edwards will run it back with Belal Muhammad in defense of his 170-pound belt.
Garry is keen to weigh in as the backup fighter for the headliner, especially after seeing the number of matchups that fell through on the UFC 303 card and the same-day opportunity that arrived at Dan Ige’s doorstep.
“I told the UFC two months ago, ‘When I win at UFC 303, I want to be the backup (at UFC 304).’ I want to be there just in case anything happens,” Garry said. “Look at this fight card (UFC 303), look at how many fights fell through. Dan Ige stepped in today! You know what I mean? Anything can happen, and I wanna be there just in case.
“Whether it’s Leon, whether it’s Belal; whoever it is. I respect both of those guys’ skillset and talent. I’m aware how good they are,” Garry continued. “But I know I can go out there against any man on the planet and get my hand raised. So for me, I’m gonna be there (in Manchester). I’ve offered to UFC, Hunter (Campbell), and Dana (White), I will be the guy to stand in and make sure that there is gonna be a welterweight world title fight if anyone pulls out. So for me, that’s next.”
It remains to be seen whether or not Garry will indeed appear on the scales a day out from UFC 304.
But having experienced a tumultuous month of late-notice cancellations, perhaps the promotion will take “The Future” up on his offer to ensure the UK fans inside the newly built Co-op Live have a welterweight title fight guaranteed.
