Dan Hooker would like to see the whole ‘BMF' championship put to rest for now.
MMA
Ian Machado Garry reveals the 'only' person who deserves the next title shot after he becomes champ at UFC
Published
3 months agoon
Ian Machado Garry knows who he is fighting after UFC 330.
Garry is set to headline UFC 330 on Saturday in Philadelphia against Islam Makhachev for the welterweight title. Although the Irishman is a sizable betting underdog, he has full confidence that he will be able to dethrone Makhachev.
If he beats Makhachev, he doesn't think an immediate rematch will be next. Instead, Garry believes Carlos Prates will get the next title shot.
“Listen, I called him last week, we chatted about it but there is only one,†Garry said at media day. “There is only one person who has earned or deserves the title shot after this fight and it's Carlos Prates. All the other guys haven't done enough. Carlos Prates has earned it. Nobody else in the entire division has earned it. They all need to fight at least one more fight.
“Prates is coming off two fights against two guys that have never been finished and he did it in insane fashion. I whooped his ass for 24 minutes and I did it on three weeks' notice. So if he wants to give me three or four months [to get ready], he knows what's going to happen. He'll be able to sleep well after the next one.â€
If Garry does beat Makhachev, an immediate rematch certainly would make sense. But Garry believes Prates has earned the rematch and a title shot.
Ian Machado Garry open to Islam Makhachev rematch after UFC 330
Although Ian Machado Garry believes Carlos Prates should be next, he isn't ruling out an Islam Makhachev rematch. However, he thinks there won't be a need for a rematch after his performance on Saturday.
“I think let's focus on beating him once and then we can focus on beating twice,†Garry said. “But it all depends on the fashion. If I go out there and scalp him in two minutes, do you want to see me fight him again straight away? That's just the way it is. If we have a back and forth war like he had with Volkanovski, it probably would warrant a rematch.
“But also, there's many other challenges here that are exciting at the same time. Let's get through Saturday night, let's get the win and then we'll see in what fashion I get the victory and if there's a rematch on the cards. But I wouldn't be against it. I think he's earned enough to do it. But let's get through Saturday night first.â€
Garry enters UFC 330 with a record of 17-1 and is coming off a decision win over Belal Muhammad. It was his second straight win after he beat Prates by decision in a five-round fight.
Do you think Ian Machado Garry will beat Islam Makhachev at UFC 330?
This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM
You may like
MMA
Arman Tsarukyan sets one condition for fighting Alexander Volkanovski
Published
15 hours agoon
November 3, 2026
Tsarukyan is open to fighting Alexander
Volkanovski, provided
Ultimate Fighting Championship gold is at stake.
Volkanovski (29-4) defended the featherweight title with a
technical knockout victory over Movsar
Evloev at
UFC 333 in Abu Dhabi before expressing interest in returning to
lightweight. With champion Justin
Gaethje uncertain about his future, Volkanovski offered to face
Tsarukyan (24-3) for the vacant title if Gaethje retires.
Arman Tsarukyan reminds Alexander Volkanovski how Islam
Makhachev rematch ended
Tsarukyan said the championship matters more to him than the
opponent.
“I'm ready for everyone,†Tsarukyan told Yavuz Saynomo. “For me, it
doesn't matter who I'm gonna fight; I just want to fight for the
title.â€
Volkanovski has expressed confidence that he can counter
Tsarukyan's wrestling and avoid being held down. Tsarukyan
responded by recalling the Australian's knockout loss to Islam
Makhachev.
“He said Islam Makhachev cannot knock him out, too,†Tsarukyan
added.
Volkanovski has twice challenged Makhachev for the lightweight
championship. He lost their first meeting by unanimous decision
before Makhachev finished their rematch with a head kick and
follow-up punches.
Tsarukyan remains confident that his next bout will be for the
title. If Gaethje retires, “The Batman†expects to compete for the
vacant belt.
“I have a title fight next,†Tsarukyan reiterated. “Either Justin
Gaethje. If he is retired, someone else.â€
MMA
Dan Hooker blames Charles Oliveira, UFC for tarnishing ‘BMF’ title: ‘He killed it’
Published
16 hours agoon
November 3, 2026
The symbolic title is up for grabs again on Dec. 12 at UFC 335, when champion Charles Oliveira faces Diego Lopes in the main event. Oliveira won the belt with a dominant decision win over Max Holloway at UFC 326, but received criticism for his grappling-heavy performance, which was considered to be against the spirit of the BMF belt.
Hooker agrees that Oliveira, and his newly won title, lost some luster that night.
“It was cool for a bit and then he kind of made it not cool,†Hooker told Submission Radio. “I think he killed it.â€
The BMF championship was innovated by former UFC star Nate Diaz, who cut a fiery promo after a win at UFC 241 that led to he and Jorge Masvidal fighting to become the inaugural titleholder at UFC 244, where Masvidal defeated Diaz. Justin Gaethje later defeated Dustin Poirier for a vacant title, with Holloway subsequently claiming the belt with an all-time great performance at UFC 300.
Hooker believes the promotion has strayed far from the original purpose of the title.
“You know where they f*cked it up?†Hooker said. “They should have kept it like Nate Diaz, Masvidal kind of shit. They completely f*cked it when they were like – They had badass motherf*ckers fighting for it like that, but then it should be the guys that want to throw down and just talk shit as well. That was kind of like me, Bobby Green, could lose 20 times and he's still a BMF contender. Then they had Max do it, and he's like the nicest guy in the f*cking world.
“Talk shit. Say you're going to knock the other guy's head off, that was like our belt. That was the guys whose careers are a f*cking mess. ‘Gamebred' was hot and cold for a minute, Nate Diaz, all our records are a f*cking mess. It's going to be a lot harder for us to get our hands on the nice, shiny, clean one. That's what I'm saying, they let too many nice guys have a crack.â€
That said, Hooker looks forward to the Oliveira vs. Lopes matchup, even if the BMF belt's involvement feels perfunctory. Hooker fights Brian Ortega at UFC Qatar on Nov. 21, and if both he and Lopes are victorious, he sees a scenario where he challenges Lopes for the title next.
“For some reason, they're adamant on this BMF belt sticking around and just having another belt to put up for grabs, but yeah, I like that fight,†Hooker said. “I feel like Diego Lopes is a strong contender for that. As he says, he doesn't feel like he's going to get another crack at Volk. He doesn't feel like it's just around the corner, so I like the fight, definitely.â€
“That's why I wanted this fight [vs. Ortega],†Hooker continued. “I feel like I can beat Brian Ortega, but now, Diego Lopes beating Charles Oliveira, I feel like that's a much bigger ask. But yeah, I like that fight, for sure.â€
MMA
Report: Jacqueline Cavalcanti vs. Michelle Montague postponed to UFC 335 on Dec. 12
Published
1 day agoon
November 2, 2026
David Benavidez Critiques Canelo Alvarezs Waiting Game in Mbilli Fight Performance
Jake Paul Bets on Doumbés Retirement: A Bold Move in Boxing
Arman Tsarukyan sets one condition for fighting Alexander Volkanovski
Trending
-
Boxing2 days agoTim Bradleys Honest Assessment of Christian Mbillis Performance in Canelo Alvarez Defeat
-
Boxing2 days agoShakur Stevenson Analyzes Canelos Decision Victory Over Christian Mbilli for WBC Title
-
Boxing1 day agoTyson Fury Unleashes Wilder KO Strategy to Overcome Anthony Joshua
-
MMA1 day agoReport: Jacqueline Cavalcanti vs. Michelle Montague postponed to UFC 335 on Dec. 12
-
Boxing1 day agoLester Martinez Aims for Canelo Alvarez with BoMacs Support
-
Boxing1 day agoExploring Who Can Challenge Canelo Alvarez at 168: Beyond Terence Crawford
-
Boxing1 day agoTerence Crawfords Interim Champion Eyes Canelo Showdown After Mbilli Victory
-
MMA1 day agoOn To the Next One: Matches to make after controversial UFC Vegas 123 event


