Is the fight landscape changing as quickly as the tide?
Ian Machado Garry’s voice echoed with anger and fire, his words a blistering display of frustration against Kamaru Usman. Just after Colby Covington ducked an attempt to set their paths for a showdown, Garry had something scathing to say about the former welterweight champion’s dodging game.
“Usman has a big chest and little balls,” Garry declared on “The Ariel Helwani Show.” He was blunt, unfiltered, a stark contrast to the calm he displayed as he prepared for his fight at UFC 310 against Shavkat Rakhmonov.
Garry’s words were a testament to the growing tension in the division. Usman, having dodged an opportunity to fight Shavkat Rakhmonov after originally pulling out of their anticipated clash, was now facing scrutiny from his fellow fighters and fans alike.
“You can see it,” Garry’s voice rose as he spoke about Usman’s dodging tendencies. The Irishman had a clear view of the situation unfolding before him. He continued, “I guarantee this: Usman is going to try and push for a fight with Jack Della Maddalena because he’s seen how easy it was for Gilbert Burns to take him down.”
Garry’s next statement, however, was filled with conviction: “If I were in Usman’s shoes, why would I want to fight the guy who is long, rangy, difficult to deal with, when I could fight the guy who I watched two people back-to-back be able to take him down quite easy?”
As Garry prepares for his fight against Rakhmonov at UFC 310 this Saturday night, it’s clear that a new wave of fighters is rising. Will they succeed in dethroning the reigning champion? Only time will tell.