Overview
- Ian Machado Garry said on Instagram that he is ready to fight and claimed Makhachev “needs more time,” after spending time in Gori, Georgia, to work on wrestling.
- Manager Ali Abdelaziz posted that the UFC is pursuing “one of the biggest” fights for Makhachev and stated Garry’s name is not involved.
- Makhachev’s first 170-pound title defense remains unassigned, with his camp indicating a timeline after Ramadan and noting he declined a quick turnaround late last year for preparation reasons.
- Undefeated contender Michael Morales made a televised callout in Mexico City by displaying Makhachev’s photo during the broadcast.
- With Jack Della Maddalena booked against Carlos Prates on May 2 and Kamaru Usman not aligned for the next shot, media and management chatter has turned to higher-profile options that remain unconfirmed.