When you think about it, it’s not every day you see two high-level undefeated fighters with everything to lose, step into the octagon together. But that’s exactly what’s happening at UFC 310, where Ian Machado Garry will face off against Shavkat Rakhmonov. Now, let’s talk about the stakes. Garry’s sitting at #7 in the welterweight rankings, and Rakhmonov’s up there at #3. The outcome of the fight? They could be just one win away from challenging for the title against Belal Muhammad.

So, why is Garry taking such a tough challenge against Rakhmonov right now? Though it is an “undefeated vs. undefeated” bout, why does Garry want to risk his zero against a dangerous opponent like Rakhmonov? Michael Bisping put it bluntly, “He didn’t have to take this fight.” So, what’s really on the line here for Garry, and does he have what it takes to pull off the win? Let’s break it down.

Now that Ian Garry has accepted the challenge, how can he secure the win?

“If he can’t stop the takedown, he will get finished”, is what ‘The Count’ opined. It’s hard to ignore the magnitude of the challenge ‘The Future’ is facing. The Kazakh ‘Nomad’, with his 100% finish rate, has become a terrifying force in the welterweight division. And while Ian Garry is known for his precise striking and elusive movement, the threat of Rakhmonov’s grappling looms large. Both fighters are 6’3″ and competent strikers at that, but the real question is, can Garry keep Rakhmonov off him?

As Bisping points out, the key to this fight lies in Garry’s ability to dictate the pace with his footwork and range, just like he did against Geoff Neal. But even Bisping, while showing respect for Garry’s skills, acknowledged the danger that Rakhmonov brings, “If he [Rakmonov] gets a hold of him [Garry], he’s going to get him down. And if he gets him down. It’s going to be lights out.”

But here’s the thing, Shavkat Rakhmonov isn’t just a grappler, he’s a well-rounded fighter. In his last fight, he boxed his way into the clinch with Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson, someone who has spent his whole life perfecting his takedown defense. If Garry expects to outstrike Rakhmonov, he might be in for a rude awakening. If the Kazakh fighter closes the distance, the Irishman will be in trouble. And Bisping’s prediction rings clear, “He’s got to keep Shavkat Rakhmonov off him.”

Even though Bisping acknowledged the danger that Rakhmonov brings, he also provided insight into Garry’s potential strategy, “He might be able to dance around, use the reach, use the range, use the movement, be fast, be elusive, be nice and crisp, be light on his toes, and be dedicated enough to not allow himself to get involved into a brawl.” This suggests that Garry will have to pick his shots with Rakhmonov while being precise but elusive. But even then, Garry had to remain disciplined, because one slip-up and Rakhmonov would close in and make his move.

Garry’s path to victory is in his range according to Michael Bisping

For Garry, stepping up for this fight is about more than just winning, it is about getting one step closer to the title. But the challenge is steep, and ‘The Future’ will need everything in his arsenal to overcome Rakhmonov’s relentlessness. As Michael Bisping pointed out, “Can Ian Garry stop the takedown?”

“Because if he can’t, someone’s always got to go [after losing] and that’s probably going to be Ian Garry. But he does have a path to victory of using the range sticking and moving.“, answer ‘The Count’. This highlights just how pivotal Garry’s takedown defense must be, without it, Rakhmonov could dominate him on the mat.

Will the challenge of facing an undefeated fighter prove to be much for Ian Garry, despite being undefeated himself? What if Garry follows Bisping’s advice and dances around, could he find a way to win? And more importantly, if he does manage to get the win, will the community accept that as a legitimate victory, even if it’s not the most exciting fight? As Bisping noted, “The crowd will boo but who cares about the crowd? Winning is all that matters.”

Finally, who do you think will be the W in the main event of UFC 310? Will it be the brash Ian Garry or the stoic Shavkat Rakhmonov? Let us know your thoughts in the comments down below.