Ian Garry doesn't care about the UFC rankings after his first MMA loss.
'The Future' stepped into action on short notice to face the toughest opponent of his career, Shavkat Rahmonov, in a welterweight title eliminator at UFC 310 on December 7.
Ian Garry put on a good story himself, even threatening a submission in round five, but ultimately slumped to a unanimous defeat against his former sparring partner.
The 27-year-old now heads into a new year unsure of what the future will bring after missing a fight with 170-pound king Belal Muhammad.
Photo by Steve Marcus/Getty Images
Ian Garry disagrees with the UFC rankings
Ian Garry has been added to UFC 310 as the #7 welterweight on the roster.
The Irishman remains in the same place despite his defeat. However, Joaquin Buckley has moved him up to sixth after his doctor's win over Colby Covington at the final UFC show of 2024.
'New Mansa' joins Sean Brady, Jack Della Maddalena, Kamaru Usman, Shavkat Rakhmonov and Leon Edwards on the fairly long list of fighters currently ahead of Garry.
Regardless of his official position in the pecking order, the 14-1 prospect believes he cemented his place as the best of the rest by pushing Rakhmonov to the brink of defeat last month.
“The way I look at this is that fighting Shavkat would be the number one contender in the world and then fight for the title,” Garry told MMA Knockout.
“If I'm not the number one contender that Shavkat raised his hand from and has now cemented himself, I'm certainly number two.
“That's how I look at it. Since there's no way after that performance, you can sit there and say I'm not one of the best in the division. So whatever the rankings officially mean. It's okay.”
“I know it in my heart and soul, and I see the fans giving me a lot of love and a lot of respect for that fight. I'm definitely, in my mind, the number two contender in the world.
“So, could I see the UFC booking me as a replacement? [for the upcoming welterweight title fight]? Yes. Do I find it realistic? Potential. But we'll see when the cards come.
“If they want that, if they need it. I'll say one thing: I'll be ready if they want me. As I always am. Ready, prepared for anyone, anywhere.”
Dana White wants AI rankings by 2025
Garry isn't the only high-profile UFC figure to rail against the rankings.
UFC boss Dana White has trashed the rankings in 2024 and revealed that he is currently working on replacing the rankings panel, which is made up of media members, with AI.
He said in October: “You know what's great about technology? We're not far away from AI actually creating these rankings!
“It will be a great day if AI starts doing this. I am very enthusiastic about that”
A month later, White called on Mark Zuckerberg to help him make the AI rankings a reality, after Jon Jones missed out on Islam Makhachev's pound-for-pound top spot.
“I gotta get rid of these CLOWNS,” White said on his Instagram story.
“@Zuck, let's get this AI deal done ASAP!!!!!”
No official announcements have been made about the state-of-the-art system, but it seems to be only a matter of time before White gets his wish and the rankings are left in the hands of AI.
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