Jorge Masvidal lost two title bouts to Kamaru Usman in the UFC, and was finished badly in the rematch in April 2021, but still went out to defend the former UFC welterweight champion from comments made by Irish contender Ian Machado Garry.
Garry recently said Usman is a “has-been” who wasn’t deserving of a shot at 170-pound champion Islam Makhachev given the fact he lost three in a row prior to a recent victory over Joaquin Buckley, while he and others young up-and-comers like Michael Morales, Shavkat Rakhmonov and Carlos Prates are be more deserving of a chance.
The UFC has yet to announce who will face Makhachev next in 2026, but Garry’s comments didn’t sit well with Masvidal.
“I never thought I’d actually be here advocating for Usman or anything but here I am,” Masvidal said on Death Row MMA. “Him calling Usman a has-been is so crazy because you’ve never even been, brother. You’re nothing. You might be a contender right now and stuff, you beat Belal [Muhammad], but you had to eye poke him twice to do that, it wasn’t like you stopped him. I never see nobody talking about this guy like he deserves the next shot, it’s only him and his wife talking about he deserves the next title shot.
“Maybe he’s pushing 40-year-old Usman, but I still see Usman beating the crap out of Ian Garry. Ian Garry’s not the best welterweight out there but he was born with some gifts. He’s massive, he’s like a light heavyweight at welterweight. He’s already been rocked by Shavkat, which I think is the most deserving at 170 pounds. I don’t know when he’s coming back, what his injuries are.”
Garry won 10 of 11 bouts under the UFC banner, losing only in a short-notice decision against Rakhmonov. He has since won back-to-back decisions over Prates and ex-champion Muhammad.
“For [Garry] to say Usman is irrelevant like, man, the fuck have you done?” Masvidal said. “You know how these guys are, they just got to talk more than anything. He’s got a boring style overall. He’s got good speed and he keeps the fight standing until he’s sweating another striking and then he goers for takedowns. But overall his style is just not exciting, and that’s why nobody’s talking about him.
“And that’s why he has to diss the next guy that might get the title shot because Ian is just f*cking boring as f*ck for the most part. Even when he’s landing combos and after he hits somebody and instead of being f*cking mean and staying on top of them, he goes for a stroll and goes f*cking dancing or walking or clinching. Bro, get in there and f*cking fight. I don’t think much of Ian’s ass.”
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