Irish MMA fighter Ian Machado Garry dismisses Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington as top UFC welterweights, emphasizing the rise of a new generation of talent in the division.
Garry, with an impressive record of 15-1 in MMA and 8-1 in the UFC, is set to face the surging contender Carlos Prates (21-6 MMA, 4-0 UFC) in the main event of UFC on ESPN 66 this Saturday at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri.
Speaking to CBS Sports, Garry expressed his views on the changing landscape of the welterweight division, stating, “We’re getting out with the old and in with the new. We’re getting rid of these people that are just trying to stay relevant like Kamaru and Colby, just trying to maintain relevancy by just talking on podcasts and trying to slag off Paddy Pimblett. That’s all they are now. They don’t want to fight. They’re not fighters anymore, they’re done.”
Garry highlighted the emergence of young, hungry talents such as himself, Prates, Michael Morales, Sean Brady, Shavkat Rakhmonov, and Jack Della Maddalena, underscoring the depth of skill and potential in the division for the coming decade.
Former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman, who defended his title five times, has faced three consecutive losses to Leon Edwards and Khamzat Chimaev. On the other hand, Colby Covington has experienced setbacks in three of his last four fights, including a TKO defeat to Joaquin Buckley in a recent UFC event.