Top UFC welterweight Ian Machado Garry could be fighting for more than a triumph in the octagon on Saturday night.
After signing with Matchroom Chairman Eddie Hearn – the bitter rival to UFC and ZUFFA Boxing frontman Dana White – Garry, 28, is set to face off against two-division UFC champion Islam Makhachev this weekend.
And, should Garry pull off the major upset in UFC 330’s main event, it could mark more than achievement for the fighter alone.
A potential victory will see English promoter Hearn have two UFC champions in his stable of athletes – something that would certainly irk UFC brass.
Hearn previously signed UFC heavyweight champion, Tom Aspinall, 33, as a counter move to White stealing away longtime Matchroom athlete, Conor Benn, 29.
Benn got his feet wet by winning his first ZUFFA Boxing fight against Regis Prograis back in April and now has a massive fight lined up against polarizing boxing superstar, Ryan Garcia, 28, on September 12.
Top UFC welterweight Ian Machado Garry is set to enter the octagon on Saturday night
Garry is set to face off against two-division UFC champion Islam Makhachev at UFC 330
Now, it’s Garry’s turn to bolster Hearn’s revenge. If Garry beats Makhachev tomorrow, it would soothe much of the pain the Matchroom chief felt when he lost Benn to White earlier this year.
It would also give Hearn some momentum towards finally booking a Ciryl Gane and Tom Aspinall rematch – a fight that could be set amongst the scenic views of the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
Garry understands on many levels what a win over the current world’s pound-for-pound number one fighter would do not only for his career, but also for the growth of his brand in the Europe market which is controlled and operated by Hearn and his sports agency team.
‘For me, it was an absolute no-brainer,’ the Irish fighter said of the partnership. ‘As someone who grew up in Ireland and is living in England right now, when you talk about the biggest sports promoter in our region, it is Eddie Hearn, it is Matchroom, and they’ve been successful at it for God knows how long at this point.’
When it comes to working with Hearn it’s more than just about money and opportunity for Garry, it’s about respecting the person you are conducting business with.
‘I love [the Hearn’s] family bond. I love Eddie’s relationship with his dad. I love how they work. We’ve known their team for a while,’ he said.
Garry can’t deny Matchroom’s generational success, and the effect they’ve had on the European market.
‘[Signing with Matchroom] was the right decision at the right time to help grow my brand, grow my name and do it together so that we can bring more eyes to all of my fights,’ he added. ‘We can bring more attention to when I compete and that’s my focus.’
The Irish fighter is signed with Matchroom Chairman Eddie Hearn’s agency
UFC 330 will take place inside the Xinity Arena located in the heart of Rocky’s hometown – Philadelphia.
Garry is facing a swift and technical champion in Dagestan’s Makhachev – a longtime teammate of all-time great fighter Khabib Nurmagomedov.
For Makhachev, after moving up from the lightweight division, the New Jersey-living grappling phenom and all-time great is attempting to achieve UFC history by winning 17-straight fights inside of the octagon for his first title defense at 170-pounds.
Both men aim to outthink and outwill the other in what has the makings to be one of the most competitive fights of the year, even though Garry is a major underdog despite his incredible performances over the division’s two bogeymen, Carlos Prates and Shavkat Rakhmonov.
Will Garry get the upset and become the newly crowned champ or will Makhachev have his way with the elusive striker and enforce his vice grip squeeze?
Hearn will likely be saying an extra prayer for his guy to shock the world and swipe out one of White’s bishops.
