Islam Makhachev says Ian Machado Garry fight not finalized, sees more interesting option

Islam Makhachev has options, despite rumors of a frontrunner next opponent.

While many think all signs point to Ian Machado Garry as the next UFC welterweight title challenger, Makhachev (28-1 MMA, 17-1 UFC) says he has still not been contacted about his next fight. As far as he knows, he has options – including one that he finds to be more interesting than Machado Garry (17-1 MMA, 10-1 UFC) after Saturday's UFC Fight Night 275.

"The UFC haven't informed me about it yet," Makhachev recently told Red Corner MMA. "But there's been a lot of rumors about me fighting Ian Garry next. Yet I haven't talked with any UFC officials about this fight. So I can't tell for sure who is the next contender. I've got three to four more possible matchups. Kamaru Usman is also up there. Ian Garry, (Michael) Morales, Prates. Four of them. Plus, Shavkat (Rakhmanov) might be No. 5. They're all expecting a title shot. I definitely need to fight someone, whoever the UFC puts me up against.

"Also, there's a couple of matchups which would determine the real contender. ... I think Prates has got the hype now. He's talked much more about now. So I think a fight with him would be the most interesting."

Makhachev was impressed by Prates' total dismantlement of former champion Jack Della Maddalena on Saturday in Perth, Western Australia. Prates defeated Della Maddalena by third-round TKO. Makhachev thinks Della Maddalena changed his approach quite significantly since they fought in November.

"Apparently, Maddalena could not collect himself," Makhachev said. "Maybe, he hasn't fully recovered from the last defeat. He couldn't find his range. I have studied his fights a lot. Before we fought, he gets close, changes levels, and throws. But this time around, he just got close and took shots. (Carlos) Prates did an excellent job."

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Islam Makhachev: More interesting option than Ian Machado Garry on table