THE UFC stage their last numbered event of the year in Las Vegas on Saturday night with a world title in the main event, but it’s the co-main feature that’s really captured fight fans’ imagination.

Former teammates Shavkat Rakhmonov and Ian Machado Gary are undefeated, natural born finishers who collide over five rounds to determine the next welterweight title contender.

Kazakh Rakhmonov has a perfect MMA record; 18 fights, 18 wins, 18 finishes and was originally scheduled to challenge for the 170lb crown tomorrow night.

But, after newly-minted champion Belal Muhammad pulled out with a foot injury, the bat signal went up for a worthy challenger to step in to face the UFC’s bogey man.

Yet only one leading welterweight answered the call.

Garry, mid fight camp for a headline slot in Miami planned for next week, jumped at the chance to test himself against an old ally and jump the championship queue.

“I had hoped to beat a natural wrestler next, then fight Shavkat for the belt, as I predicted he would have beaten Belal, but why wait?” the Irishman explained on Wednesday. “I beat Shavkat, then I win the title.”

Garry has good reason to be confident.

He’s also unbeaten in MMA, across 15 fights, and whilst he may not have as many finishes as Shavkat (7 KOs and 1 submission) he’s had his hand raised more times inside the Octagon.

Garry also has first-hand experience of the ‘Nomad’ inside a cage.

They sparred on occasion during Garry’s 2021-23 stint on the mats at Kill Cliff Fight Club in Florida, the gym Shavkat still calls home.

And whilst those sessions have become a hot topic throughout fight week, both accept sparring in the gym is very different from fighting under the lights.

Standing six-three and just 27 years of age, Garry landed in the UFC on the back of winning the Cage Warriors welter crown in 2021.

His first-round knockout victory in New York announced him on the biggest stage, and he’s not looked back since, climbing into the top 10 with eight wins in three years.
Despite joining the promotion a year earlier, Shavkat has only fought six times inside the Octagon, but his perfect finish rate has ensured he’s climbed higher; into the #1 ranking spot.

Both have faced Neal Magny and Geoff Neal recently, but where Shavkat tapped both out, Ian managed one unanimous and one split decision victory.

And that actually sums up their styles.

Shavkat is a fully-rounded monster with eight knockouts and 10 submission wins; he’s equally as aggressive on the feet and in grappling exchanges.

The 30-year-old can be a little reckless and hit-able, but he’s also a master of exploiting weaknesses and dominating the geography of a fight.

Garry on the other hand is a thinking fighting, a back foot stabbing striker who likes to hit and not get hit.

His recent time spent in Brazil – he left Kill Cliff for Chute Boxe in Curitiba – has undoubtedly improved his submission game. But he’s a striker through and through.

On the feet, Garry has the skills to dig kicks to Shavkat’s belly and fire out that long one-two. But he can’t afford to get greedy. Over 15 minutes, he’d certainly stand a chance.

But 25 minutes locked in a cage with Shavkat is akin to purgatory.

He’s simply too strong, too talented and too dominant in the art of MMA to be picked, probed and avoided for that long.

Shavkat will be crowned UFC welterweight champion in 2025, and he goes through Garry on Saturday night to get there.

TIP: Shavkat by Submission, Round 4

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