UFC 330 Post Event Matchmaker - Who's Next for Ian Garry?

UFC 330 is now one for the books, and in the main event, Islam Makhachev made history by beating Ian Garry across a competitive five rounds. 

At 28, Ian Garry is still young in the game, and he alluded to that fact in his post-fight interview; however, naturally, fans and media members alike will look ahead to what is next for the Irishman.

UFC 330 - Matchmaking Ian Garry

Michael Morales

Michael Morales is certainly an exciting member of the welterweight division. The Ecuadorian is currently ranked #3 in the division and poses a much different threat to everyone else in the division.

He's huge for the weight, has a background in judo and swings wild shots that, on paper, shouldn't trouble opponents. With an undefeated record at 19-0 with 15 finishes, it's clear he's dangerous.

Although he weighed in as the backup fighter for the UFC 330 main event, it appears as if the UFC will go with Carlos Prates for the next title shot, meaning Morales might need one more outing before getting a crack at the belt.

Carlos Prates

If the UFC decides not to go with Michael Morales, a Carlos Prates rematch could make a lot of sense. Ian Garry was the first and only man to defeat the Brazilian in the UFC and did so convincingly across five rounds. Despite being badly hurt in the fifth round, the Irishman was able to hold on for the victory.

Since that win, Prates has been on a tear, picking up three straight knockout victories, earning him a bonus in all three. His biggest win came against Jack Della Maddalena last time out when he stopped the former champion in the third round.

A win over Ian Garry for Carlos Prates would make him undeniably the #1 in the division, so it could be appealing to the Brazilian.

Jack Della Maddalena

The somewhat forgotten man at 170lbs, the former champion, Jack Della Maddalena, is still a huge threat at welterweight. Although he's lost his last two fights, it's worth noting that these were against two elites in Makhachev and Prates.

His eight-fight winning run (which included his title fight victory) was certainly impressive, and if he can fix the holes in his game, there's little denying that he can once again challenge the elite of the division. 

His boxing-heavy style against Garry's kickboxing style could provide an interesting match-up and would eliminate one man from title contention and push one man back into the picture.