Ian Machado Garry will enter UFC Fight Night 265 in Doha, Qatar on November 22nd, defeating the clear mission: 1 rank Beral Muhammad, leading to a title contest.
The 27-year-old Irishman has risen from the Cage Warriors champion to the top-10 UFC candidate through a series of decisive victories in beating Neil Manny, Shabkat Rakmonov, Carlos Pleetz and Michael Page, with a 16-1 professional record. Muhammad, 37, is a former UFC welterweight champion who regained top candidate status after falling to Jack Della Maddalena in May 2025. He has won 11 straight wins in the UFC competition, holding a record of 24-4.
Ian Machado Garry: I will be doing the “mall” Beral Muhammad in UFC Doha, Qatar
In exchange for the Mega Tips list, Garry laid out his plans in harsh words.
“Beating Beral Muhammad means my next fight is seeking a world title. To ensure that he has got a title shot, I absolutely need to make it clear that he has finished and hit the world’s number one welterweight.
“You’re going to see speeds like you’ve never seen in the octagon before. The respected former champion Beral Muhammad is made to look like an amateur right in front of your eyes.
The interests are high for both men. Muhammad won the belt with a unanimous decision for Leon Edwards in July 2024, and in May 2025 he made a unanimous decision for Della Madalena at UFC 315. Garry combines counters and warping with boxing and judo backgrounds, accurate strikes and growing submission games. His only defeat came to Rakmonov in the UFC 310 title eliminator.
Garry’s trajectory was quick. He made his debut in the UFC with a knockout of Jordan Williams in November 2021, and he won five more wins in the next two years or more. His performance indicators: 7 knockouts, 1 submission, 8 decisions win. This shows an evolving finisher adapting to each opponent’s weakness. In contrast, Muhammad is known for his systematic pressure.
The fighter-mediated finish, praised for his durability, will mark an unprecedented turning point. For Muhammad, the victory reaffirms his position on the division and sets up a possible showdown with emerging champion Jacques Della Madarena.
Doha’s Lusail Sports Arena will host Fight Night 265, Qatar’s first international UFC event. The winners not only assert their bragging rights, but also ensure a title shot that can redefine the 170-pound landscape.