Islam Makhachev Ranks His Welterweight Threats — and Backs Ian Garry

Islam Makhachev thinks Ian Machado Garry is the welterweight division's future champion. He just doesn't plan to hand over the keys any time soon. Speaking to Ushatayka, the champion who beat Garry by decision at UFC 330 — his first defense of the 170-pound belt — called "The Future" the most dangerous fighter he's shared a cage with at welterweight, and predicted Garry lands the title only after Makhachev walks away.

That August win was Makhachev's 17th straight inside the UFC, pushing him past Anderson Silva for the longest win streak in company history. He's not stopping there. Makhachev restated his goal of stretching it to 20 consecutive victories, which means at least three more names have to fall first.

Grading the Contenders

Makhachev refused to separate his most likely challengers, putting Carlos Prates, Michael Morales and Shavkat Rakhmonov on the same tier. He credited Prates for knockout power, Morales for his size and dual threat on the feet and mat, and Rakhmonov for all-around skill. It's a rare bit of even-handedness from a champion who usually has opinions.

The one contender he waved off was former Bellator titlist Yaroslav Amosov. Makhachev said he'd watched Amosov's wrestling get shut down and drew his own conclusions, dismissing him as no real threat. Garry, by contrast, drew genuine respect — Makhachev framed their fight as one of his toughest and pointed to the Irishman's youth as the reason his time is still coming.

What Happens Next

For now, Garry waits. He's already lobbying for a matchup with Morales, one of the men Makhachev might face instead. The champion, meanwhile, wants another defense on the books before Ramadan begins in February, and Prates looks like the front-runner. On paper it's a live one: Prates is 24-7 with 19 knockouts, sits at #2 in the division, and is coming off a third-round TKO of Jack Della Maddalena.

So Makhachev has laid out the map — three roughly equal threats, one dismissal, and a coronation he's postponed indefinitely. Garry gets the endorsement and the wait. Everybody at 170 gets the same message: the streak isn't done, and neither is he.