Heralded as one of the top prospects in the sport when he touched down in the UFC with an unbeaten record and the Cage Warriors welterweight title in tow, Machado Garry has justified the hype and worked his way into the Top 15 in less than three years, setting up a massive opportunity in Boston this weekend.
„The Future“ had a relatively quiet 2022, by his own standards, garnering a pair of unanimous decision wins that elevated his record to 10-0 and brought 30 minutes of additional Octagon experience before he and his wife welcomed their first child together. Since returning to action this year, the 25-year-old standout has cranked it up a notch of two, posting a pair of stoppage victories over Song Kenan and Daniel Rodriguez to run his winning streak to a dozen and land a number next to his name.
How to Watch Dana White’s Contender Series
Rangy and fundamentally sound, Garry has all the tools to be a championship contender in the 170-pound ranks and a superstar in the UFC. Inside and outside of the Octagon, he looks the part, but now comes the tough part: taking on the best fighters on the planet.
Originally paired off with Geoff Neal, Machado Garry shares the cage with the man he asked for following his last victory — divisional stalwart Neil Magny — this weekend.
Magny holds the record for the most wins in welterweight division history and has built a career competing in fights like this, serving as the veteran litmus test for those with Top 10 ambitions. He has outstanding conditioning, a long jab, and a high output rate, all of which are new challenges Machado Garry will be dealing with for the first time.
This is a critical matchup and potential breakthrough opportunity for the Irishman, who has looked tremendous in his first two 2023 appearances. If he can dial up something similar in Boston on Saturday, the TD Garden is going to erupt and Machado Garry will be looking for a marquee opportunity — and perhaps a main event pairing — next time out.
