Alex Volkanovski highlights Shavkat Rakhmonov's key advantage over Ian Machado Garry ahead of UFC 310: “Craig Jones even told me"
Shavkat Rakhmonov and Ian Machado Garry will clash in the UFC 310 co-main event on Dec. 7. The winner of their bout will have the chance to face Belal Muhammad for the welterweight title sometime in 2025. 'Remember the Name' was scheduled to headline the upcoming pay-per-view card, but was forced to withdraw due to a serious bone infection.
Rakhmonov was Muhammad's original opponent, and will now take on the surging Irishman instead. Both contenders have shown they have well-rounded styles. But, Alex Volkanovski recently shared the advantage the Kazakh fighter may hold over Garry.
While breaking down the UFC 310 co-main event, 'The Great' disclosed what his Brazilian jiu-jitsu coach, Craig Jones, shared with him about Rakhmonov's grappling skills.
Volkanovski said:
"Very evenly matched on the feet. Ian Garry's footwork and his underestanding of the striking is really good. Shavkat's very good, powerhouse. Great with the KO's, he's gonna be aggressive. I think he's going to find it hard to find Ian Garry, but he has that grappling layer."
He continued:
"Ian Garry's proved that he has the wrestling and the grappling as well. Is it enough [to be on] Shavkat's level? Because Shavkat I've heard, I think Craig Jones told me about it, or through some [other people], Shavkat's got some serious groundwork. Really good wrestling, and really good grappling."
Check out Alex Volkanovski's comments on Shavkat Rakhmonov vs. Ian Garry below (8:45):
Ian Machado Garry sends warning to Shavkat Rakhmonov over sparring sessions
Ahead of UFC 310, rumors began to emerge that Shavkat Rakhmonov submitted Ian Machado Garry during a sparring session while training at Kill Cliff FC.
The pair trained together at the elite MMA gym roughly two years ago, with the Irishman having taken a more nomadic approach to his training since then. However, during the fight week build-up ahead of Machado Garry's clash with Rakhmonov, the Irishman admitted that the rumors of him being submitted were true.
But during his pre-fight media appearance, 'The Future' sent his upcoming opponent a warning, saying;
"If he wants to latch onto a moment of success in training from two years ago and thinks I'm the same fighter I was then, then he would be sadly mistaken. I don't believe he is going to be latching on to anything like that. I believe he is being honest and he is saying this happened, which it did."
Check out Ian Machado Garry's warning to Shavkat Rakhmonov below (7:00):