By:
Paul Kelly
Ian Machado Garry has dropped one spot in the latest UFC welterweight rankings, despite nobody inside the top 15 fighting.
The Irishman has dropped from second to third, indicating he may miss out on the next UFC Welterweight Title shot.
Ian Machado Garry Drops Down UFC Welterweight Rankings
After beating former champion Belal Muhammad last time out at UFC Qatar, Ian Machado Garry jumped up to number two in the latest UFC welterweight rankings.
Only the champion, Islam Makhachev, and the former champion, Jack Della Maddalena, were ranked above Garry heading into the New Year, with the Irishman sitting pretty for a shot at the UFC Welterweight Title next.
However, the 28-year-old has now dropped a spot from second to third in the latest UFC welterweight rankings, despite nobody inside the top 15 even fighting.
🚨RANKINGS UPDATE🚨
Shavkat Rakhmonov Moves Up 1 Spot To 2nd in Welterweight
Ian Garry Moves Down One Spot To Third pic.twitter.com/e42mXx2IHC
— Kevin (@realkevink) December 16, 2025
This move sees the unbeaten Shavkat Rakhmonov move above Garry into second spot, with ‘The Future’ falling one place to third.
Although Rakhmonov holds a win over Garry, the only loss on the impressive 17-1 resume of the Irishman, the Kazakh hasn’t fought since. That bout was back in December 2024, with the 19-0 170-pound contender not fighting since due to injury.
Now though, it looks like Rakhmonov is nearing a return, which has seen him leapfrog former foe Garry into prime position for the next shot at Makhachev and the welterweight crown early in the New Year.
Conor McGregor’s impending return potentially already spelt bad news for Garry, and this strange welterweight move from the UFC isn’t exactly the news Garry was hoping for over the festive period.
https://twitter.com/ChampRDS/status/2000792052506796528
Ian Garry Unlikely For Next UFC Welterweight Title Shot Following Rankings Fall
With Shavkat Rakhmonov overtaking Ian Machado Garry in the latest UFC welterweight rankings, this could have severe implications in the 1170-pound title picture as we move into the New Year.
It looked very much like ‘The Future’ was going to be rewarded with a shot at Islam Makhachev and the welterweight belt next, but that now seems unlikely given the move in the welterweight rankings at the top end.
Garry was ranked as the sixth best MMA fighter under 30 in ESPN’s recent list, but it looks like he may have to wait a little longer until he can finally challenge for the UFC Welterweight Title.
Although unconfirmed, the fact that Rakhmonov has jumped above Garry in the rankings indicates that he will be next in line to face Makhachev for the 170-pound crown.
🚨Random change in the WW rankings
Shavkat moves above Ian Garry 🤔 pic.twitter.com/jFOe12dBQj
— Dovy🔌 (@DovySimuMMA) December 16, 2025
Whether this is in fact true remains to be seen, but dropping a space in the rankings for no reason whatsoever doesn’t exactly look like good news for the 28-year-old.
The Irishman may be forced to have one more fight against a top ranked welterweight in a final eliminator instead, before then being granted his shot for the UFC Welterweight Title at some stage in 2026.
The likes of Michael Morales and Carlos Prates are also in the 170-pound title picture after their respective wins recently, so Garry may well have to beat one of them before he simply cannot be denied his shot at UFC gold.
Garry has already beaten Prates, and a win over Morales may well rubber-stamp his claim at facing Makhachev next for the UFC Welterweight Title, if indeed the champion faces Rakhmonov first.
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