The coach of Irish fighter Ian Garry (15-1) Diego Lima shared his plans and prospects for his protégé for 2025. The team of his last opponent Shavkat Rakhmonov (19-0) aims to win the title of champion in the UFC welterweight division, as reported by Vesti.kz .
Lima is confident that despite the loss to the Kazakh in December last year, Garry's stock has only risen. The Irishman stepped in on short notice, replacing the reigning champion of the division Belal Muhammad (24-3). In the fifth round, he nearly submitted Rakhmonov.
"Regardless of the outcome, Ian proved he is a damn good fighter and has everything it takes to become number one in the division. He was very close to finishing, unlike his opponent," the coach of Garry is convinced.
According to Lima, his athlete possesses exceptional talent, and he is confident that Ian will inevitably become a champion.
"If we choose the next fight correctly, we might end this year fighting for the title," Lima said in an interview with MMA Fighting .
Currently, the Irishman ranks seventh in the UFC welterweight rankings. Leading the division is American Kamaru Usman (20-4), while Rakhmonov is in second place, awaiting a title bout with Muhammad.
Recall that Garry and Rakhmonov faced off on December 7, 2024, at UFC 310 in Las Vegas. The fight went the full distance, and the Kazakh emerged victorious by unanimous decision.
Did Shavkat Rakhmonov "choose" another country instead of Kazakhstan?