Ian Machado Garry on next opponent Yaroslav Amosov in 2025: 'Him versus me, gets smashed'

The Irishman, who faces the former Bellator champion at UFC Saudi Arabia on 5 December, also said he did not know who Amosov was and felt "sorry for him".

Ian Machado Garry said Yaroslav Amosov would get "smashed" by him and by Islam Makhachev, and that he felt sorry for him, in November 2025. The pair now meet in a five-round co-main event at UFC Saudi Arabia in Riyadh on Saturday 5 December.

Machado Garry was asked whether he knew Amosov after his win over Belal Muhammad at UFC Qatar in November 2025, a month before the former Bellator welterweight champion made his UFC debut.

"Whoever he is, I don't mean any disrespect to this man, him versus Islam Makhachev, gets smashed," he said. "I don't know who he is. Him versus me, gets smashed. Him versus Carlos Prates, unconscious."

He said a fight with Michael Morales would end in a TKO too, and called welterweight "the greatest division in UFC history right now".

"The welterweight division right now, my friend, is the best in this sport. There is no conversation about it. So this guy, whoever he is, I feel sorry for him," he said.

Machado Garry then lost a unanimous decision to Makhachev in a title fight at UFC 330 in August, after back-to-back wins over Prates and Muhammad. Amosov will be his first opponent since that defeat.

Amosov has won both of his UFC fights since signing, submitting Neil Magny in the first round of his debut and Joel Alvarez in May. He is ranked No 11 at welterweight by the UFC, while Machado Garry is No 1.

The card in Riyadh is headed by Israel Adesanya against Shara Magomedov.

READ NEXTIan Machado Garry's first fight since Makhachev loss: Yaroslav Amosov, five rounds in RiyadhRead the next story →

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