Ian Machado Garry suffered the first defeat in his unbeaten streak on Saturday, December 7, losing to Shavkat Rakhmonov by a unanimous decision at UFC 310 in Las Vegas. The bout, which was elevated to co-main event status after welterweight champion Belal Muhammad withdrew, was a highly contested clash that ended with all three judges scoring the fight 48-47 in favor of Rakhmonov.
Both fighters entered the ring undefeated, and Rakhmonov extended his record to 19-0, cementing his position as the number one contender in the welterweight division.
Meanwhile, Irishman Machado Garry, who now holds a 15-1 record, became the first opponent to really go the distance with the Kazakh fighter. Despite his loss, the 27-year-old’s performance earned him praise from commentators and fans.
Heading into the fight, the odds predicted a closely matched contest. Rakhmonov was slightly favored at -180 to Garry’s +150. Bettors who engaged in wagering on the event, especially those looking for wagering opportunities and betting at offshore providers, witnessed a high-stakes fight that lived up to the hype. The narrative leading up to the fight focused greatly on Rakhmonov’s claims of submitting Garry in past sparring sessions, and Garry acknowledged these claims before the fight. The highly competitive nature of the fight was a clear indication that both fighters are top-tier talents in the division.
The fight kicked off with Rakhmonov establishing his grappling dominance, controlling Machado Garry, and landing heavy strikes in the first three rounds. The 30-year-old was able to neutralize Garry’s striking, putting the Irishman on the back foot from the start.
However, Machado Garry was as resilient as ever as the fight continued. In the fourth round, he started landing cleaner shots, shifting the momentum in his favor. The fifth and final round saw Garry nearly secure a rear-naked choke, a moment that brought the T-Mobile Arena crowd screaming to their feet. Rakhmonov, living up to his nickname “Nomad”, managed to escape the chokehold and survive until the final horn sounded, when the three judges all scored him 48-47.
Rahmonov was able to solidify his place as the next challenger for the welterweight title with this victory. This will likely play out as a fight with Belal Muhammad early in 2025.
When speaking in the post-fight interview, Rakhmonov praised Machado Garry’s toughness and expressed confidence in his own chances of becoming the division’s next champion.
For Garry, the loss is a turning point in his career. Although his undefeated streak is now over, he has demonstrated that he does belong among the elite in the welterweight division. Following the fight, he committed to learning and improving from this recent setback, and fans are eagerly awaiting his next move in the UFC.
