While Ian Garry failed to dethrone Islam Makhachev at UFC 330, the Irishman certainly made the champion work for it. “The Future” busted the Dagestani open and found some success against his grappling as the fight went on. However, Garry ultimately came up short, with the judges scoring the bout 49-46, 49-46, and 48-47 in Makhachev’s favor.
With the Dagestani now seemingly on course to defend his welterweight title against Carlos Prates later this year, the big question is what comes next for Garry. The Irishman has already made his preference clear, naming Michael Morales as the fight that makes the most sense for him next. Morales was the backup fighter for the UFC 330 headliner and appears more than willing to step up.
Michael Morales Welcomes Ian Garry Fight for His Next UFC Bout
Earlier this month, Garry attended Katie Taylor’s retirement fight and spoke about finishing Morales to work his way back into the title picture. It looks like Morales is ready to make that happen.
The two welterweights crossed paths backstage after the Philadelphia card, and a rivalry is already starting to take shape. Now, the 19-0 fighter has shared private messages between himself and Garry, revealing that the two have even discussed fighting before the end of the year.
Ian Machado Garry and Michael Morales exchange words after UFC 330
Garry – “All the s**t you talk it’s ok, just make sure you back it up. I don’t know what story you made up about meeting me, I’ve never encountered that. You’re a good fighter, show up, keep winning” pic.twitter.com/iszfWF291G
— FULL SEND MMA (@full_send_mma) August 16, 2026
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Morales shared screenshots of their conversation on social media. Garry kicked things off by saying he had been told Morales was unavailable to fight in 2026. Morales quickly shut that down, making it clear that he is ready whenever Garry is. With Morales’ availability no longer in question, Garry pointed to November 28 at UFC Saudi Arabia as a potential date for their showdown, and Morales immediately agreed.
Garry texted Morales, “I wanna fight before the end of the year, and I’m being told you’re not available. You were able to be the backup for the world title fight but not able to take a fight with me now? You’ve also asked to be a backup for the next title fight, but still not available to fight with me?”
The Irishman added, “Looks like someone is avoiding me. Talk all that s**t online then don’t agree to fight? What’s going on here?”
Morales wasn’t having any of it and fired back, writing, “My son, what are you talking about? I fight whenever you want. I just want a contract, and that’s it. I’ll kick your ass.”
Garry then got straight to the point and suggested November 28 at UFC Saudi Arabia. He wrote, “Saudi [Arabia]. November 28th. Let’s do it.” Morales didn’t hesitate to accept, responding, “Sign it, my son, and we’ll do it.”
Michael Morales reveals his DMs with Ian Garry 👀
🗣️ Garry: “I wanna fight before the end of the year and I’m being told you’re not available. You were able to be the backup for the world title fight but not able to take a fight with me now?”
🗣️ Morales: “My son, what are you… pic.twitter.com/1BcAyoFX8f
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) September 21, 2026
There is, however, one interesting wrinkle. UFC Saudi Arabia is not currently listed on the promotion’s official schedule for November 28. That could simply mean the event has yet to be announced, or it could point to discussions already taking place behind the scenes.
Either way, Garry and Morales appear eager to make the matchup happen, and now it remains to be seen whether Dana White and the UFC can make it official.
Kshitiz Kumar Singh is a UFC Writer at NY Fights with over three years of experience in sports journalism and content creation. Known for his sharp storytelling and passion for combat sports, he has written in-depth features on stars like Brock Lesnar, Randy Couture, and Ilia Topuria. Before joining NY Fights, Kshitiz worked as a UFC Editor at EssentiallySports while currently serving as a WWE Editor at FirstSportz. His admiration for legends like Georges St-Pierre continues to inspire his detailed and engaging MMA coverage. Whether he’s covering the Octagon or the squared circle, Kshitiz is committed to delivering accurate, high-quality content. Outside the world of sports, he’s a dedicated cinephile, often found practicing monologues from his favorite Al Pacino films, combining his love for cinema with storytelling.
