Ian Machado Garry, Michael Morales Lead Ufc Welterweight Rankings Race
Ian Machado Garry and Michael Morales sit at the front of the ufc welterweight rankings race for Islam Makhachev’s next title shot. That pecking order gives the division a clear near-term focus as Makhachev prepares for his first welterweight title defence in the summer.
Makhachev’s 170-pound opening
Makhachev became the new 170-pound champion in November after defeating Jack Della Maddalena, who had won the belt six months earlier by beating Belal Muhammad. The switch left the division in an early new era, and there has been little movement near the top since then.
Garry is the fighter described as the one who should be next in line. He is 17-1, and his only loss came in a five-round decision to Shavkat Rakhmonov in December 2024.
Garry’s rebound run
That defeat did not stall him for long. Garry won two of the five rounds on all scorecards against Rakhmonov, then rebounded with back-to-back wins over Carlos Prates and Belal Muhammad.
Rakhmonov remains the division’s biggest variable, but a significant knee injury that required surgical repair removed him from the contender rankings earlier this year. With that path blocked, Garry’s recent wins have become the cleanest argument for a title shot.
Morales Stays Perfect
Morales has made the same case with a different route. The 26-year-old improved to 19-0 after finishing Sean Brady in the first round at UFC 322, and that knockout left a strong impression on fight fans.
It was not a one-off finish. Morales has stopped Neil Magny, Gilbert Burns and Brady in the first round in his past three fights, a run that puts real pressure on the title picture if the UFC looks beyond Garry. Anything other than an official title eliminator matchup for either man would not make much sense if the promotion goes in a different direction.
Jack Della Maddalena at Perth
Della Maddalena is still in the frame, too. He is scheduled to face Carlos Prates in the UFC Perth Fight Night main event this weekend, with Prates seeking his first UFC title shot and Della Maddalena aiming to force his way back into the title mix for another crack at Makhachev.
That leaves the next step pointed in one direction. Garry and Morales have done enough to sit at the front of the queue, while Della Maddalena’s result in Perth could decide whether the picture tightens or opens up again before Makhachev returns in the summer.
