After Makhachev won the 170-pound title on a card packed with welterweight talent at UFC 322, fans immediately wondered what could be next for the #1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world.
Bisping explained on his YouTube channel why it could be: Ian Garry vs. Islam Makhachev.
Ian Garry vs. Islam Makhachev has potential
Bisping’s comments
In a recent video, Bisping discussed Ian Garry vs. Islam Makhachev:
“Listen, Ian Garry is the No. 1 man in the world, and he’s beaten some great fighters along the way. And of course he took Shavkat Rakhmonov in a No. 1 contender, took him five rounds, almost got the submission in the fifth round, and since then he’s come back and the man is still fighting. The last time he came out, he knocked out Belal Muhammad, the former champion. He was back for that, and the man is still fighting. Carlos Prates eliminated, one of the biggest and hottest names in the welterweight division right now.”
He justified his comments by explaining that Ian Garry stated on social media that he has started camping. At this point, we don’t know who the opponent will be, but Bisping said the obvious: that “He’s going to be a good guy, he’s got to be someone highly regarded, he’s one of the best welterweights on the roster.”
Does it have to be Gary?
While Ian Garry vs. Islam Makhachev makes a lot of sense, will capture the imagination of fans and reignite the rivalry between Ireland and Russia within the MMA world, Garry isn’t the only option for the champion.
Kamaru Usman has been extremely vocal in his bid for a title shot, and it appears the UFC is listening. The Nigerian Nightmare is ranked #7 in the division; however, there are names above him who are currently unbooked, in terms of winning runs and are legitimate finishers.
One of those men is Carlos Prates. The Brazilian is on a two-fight knockout streak, finishing Geoff Neal and, most recently, former champion Leon Edwards. The only thing going against Prates is that he has a loss on his record against Ian Garry in April last year.
The other man who could potentially be next for Makhachev is Michael Morales. The 26-year-old is undefeated at 19-0, has recorded 15 finishes and is improving fight after fight. He has three night bonus appearances in his most recent three fights and is one of the most exciting fighters at 170 pounds.
What do you want to see next? Ian Garry vs. Islam Makhachev? The Champion vs. Prates? Or could it be the undefeated Morales? Let us know in the comments.
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