Ilia Topuria believes Ian Machado Garry has a real shot if he ends up across the cage from UFC welterweight champion Islam Makhachev.
Speaking on Garry’s status as one of the frontrunners to face Makhachev next, Topuria backed the Irish contender’s upside. "It's the fight business. Everyone has chances – everyone, and especially someone like Ian," Topuria said.
Topuria pointed to Garry’s growing résumé and Makhachev’s past setback as reasons he sees the matchup as live. "He's been collecting a lot of experience during his run in the UFC, and why not? I see him with a lot of chances. And Islam, we already saw him getting knocked out in a fight, and why not for a second time?" he added.
While Topuria has been seeking a fight with Makhachev for some time, his focus is currently on defending his lightweight title against interim champion Justin Gaethje in the UFC Freedom 250 main event. The card is scheduled for June 14 at the White House in Washington D.C.
For Topuria, any outcome at welterweight ultimately serves his interests. "I'm the type of person at the end, whatever happens, my mindset is like it's good for me," he said. "Whoever wins, it's good for me. Everything happens for a reason. So I don't care."
