Garry Challenges Makhachev, Gaethje-Tsarukyan Beef Heats Up

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The MMA world is buzzing with big talk and brewing rivalries this week. From title aspirations to gift rejections, there’s no shortage of drama and anticipation.

Garry Targets Makhachev for UFC 330

Ian Machado Garry is making his intentions clear, stating he plans to challenge Islam Makhachev for the lightweight title at UFC 330. Garry, who currently competes in the welterweight division, has expressed confidence in his ability to defeat Makhachev, even going so far as to say he’s “going to bounce him on his skull.” This bold declaration comes as Garry looks to climb the ranks and secure a shot at championship gold, potentially in a new weight class. It’s a big call, and fans are definitely taking notice of his ambition.

Gaethje and Tsarukyan’s Truck Trouble

The rivalry between Justin Gaethje and Arman Tsarukyan has taken an unexpected turn, revolving around a rejected truck. Tsarukyan reportedly offered Gaethje a truck as a gift, which Gaethje refused. This refusal has only fueled the fire between the two fighters, with Tsarukyan responding with a blunt, “If you don’t want it, f*ck you.” The incident has added another layer of personal animosity to their already tense relationship, leaving fans wondering what’s next for these two lightweights.

Pereira’s Doubts and Heavyweight Concerns

Alex Pereira, a dominant force in the UFC, has openly expressed doubts about his fighting future, admitting he’s “afraid” to return to the octagon. He feels he’s “already done his part” in the sport. This sentiment comes amidst discussions about a potential move to heavyweight, a decision that former fighter Pedro Rizzo believes would present significant challenges for Pereira due to a potential loss of his reach advantage. It’s a big decision for Pereira, and his honesty about his fears is certainly resonating with fans.

Volkanovski Eyes Gaethje, Pimblett on McGregor

Alexander Volkanovski has indicated he’s open to challenging Justin Gaethje at lightweight, signaling a potential move up in weight for the featherweight king. This would be a massive fight, pitting two fan favorites against each other. Meanwhile, Paddy Pimblett has shared his long-held thoughts on Conor McGregor ahead of McGregor’s anticipated return at UFC 329. Pimblett has “always thought” something significant about McGregor, adding to the hype surrounding the Irish superstar’s comeback.

Heavyweight Division in Limbo

The UFC heavyweight division finds itself in a state of uncertainty, particularly with Jon Jones’ retirement anniversary passing and Tom Aspinall facing an eye injury. This leaves the division in a bit of a holding pattern, with many questions about who will step up and what the championship picture will look like in the near future. Fans are eagerly awaiting updates on Aspinall’s recovery and who might emerge as the next dominant force in the heavyweight ranks.

Sources

Every source behind today's roundup (14)

We summarize the day’s news in our own words. Full credit to the outlets below for the original reporting, click through to read their work:

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Episode transcript

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Welcome to Open Scoring MMA. This is episode 5, your daily look at what’s happening now and next across the world of MMA and UFC.

We’re kicking things off today with some massive news out of the welterweight division. We’re hearing that Ian Machado Garry is reportedly set to challenge UFC welterweight champion Islam Makhachev in the main event of UFC 330, which is happening in Philadelphia. Garry is not holding back, vowing to “be the guy that stopped history from happening” and even saying he’s going to “bounce him on his skull.” That’s a bold statement from ‘The Future’. This is a huge step up for Garry, and it’s going to be fascinating to see if he can back up that talk against a dominant champion like Makhachev. The stylistic matchup alone is intriguing, with Garry’s striking prowess against Makhachev’s grappling and relentless pressure. It’s a fight that could truly define Garry’s career, and if he pulls it off, it would be one of the biggest upsets in recent memory, especially given Makhachev’s incredible run. The build-up to this one is going to be electric, especially with Garry already throwing down the gauntlet with those kinds of comments. You know Makhachev isn’t going to take that lightly, and we can expect some serious fireworks in the press conferences leading up to the event. This isn’t just a title fight; it’s a clash of personalities and fighting styles that could deliver an instant classic. The stakes couldn’t be higher for both men, with Makhachev looking to continue his reign of dominance and Garry aiming to shock the world and claim his first UFC title. It’s the kind of fight that gets everyone talking, and it’s still months away.

Speaking of big names and big talk, the lightweight division is heating up, and not just in the octagon. Justin Gaethje and Arman Tsarukyan aren’t even officially matched up yet, but they’re already beefing, and it’s all over a truck! Reportedly, one of Tsarukyan’s buddies had publicly wagered a significant amount of money on Gaethje to pull off the upset against Topuria. When Gaethje won against Topuria, rumor has it Tsarukyan, being a man of his word, vowed to buy Gaethje a new truck. Word is, Gaethje was initially on board with the plan, but then, he reportedly refused the gift. This is some next-level beef, and it’s hilarious. You’ve got to wonder what changed Gaethje’s mind. Was it a point of pride? Did he not want to feel indebted? Whatever the reason, it’s certainly added a new layer to a potential matchup between these two. Tsarukyan clearly feels disrespected, and Gaethje, well, he’s ‘The Highlight,’ he does things his own way. This kind of personal animosity, even over something as unusual as a truck, often translates into incredibly exciting fights. If they do end up fighting, you can bet this truck saga will be brought up repeatedly, adding even more fuel to the fire. It’s a classic case of a non-fight incident creating a compelling narrative for a future clash.

Now, let’s talk about a fighter who’s always got something interesting to say, especially about the biggest names in the sport. Our very own Paddy ‘The Baddy’ Pimblett has made a major admission about Conor McGregor ahead of the MMA superstar’s sensational return to the octagon at UFC 329. Bloody Elbow reported that Paddy Pimblett “always thought” something important about Conor McGregor. While the specifics of what Paddy thought aren’t fully detailed in the report, the fact that he’s weighing in on McGregor’s return shows just how much attention ‘The Notorious’ still commands. Paddy’s known for his outspoken nature and his ability to connect with fans, so his take on McGregor is always going to be interesting. It’s a testament to McGregor’s enduring star power that other top fighters are still talking about him, even after a long layoff. Paddy’s insight, whatever it may be, will surely add to the conversation surrounding UFC 329, which is shaping up to be a monumental event. It’s great to hear Paddy’s voice in the mix, offering his perspective on one of the sport’s all-time greats.

Moving on to some potential future super fights, Alexander Volkanovski is not ruling out a double-champ bid for the third time in his UFC career. Sherdog reported that Volkanovski is open to challenging Justin Gaethje at lightweight. This is huge news! Volkanovski has already proven himself as one of the greatest featherweights of all time, and his previous attempts at lightweight gold, while unsuccessful, were incredibly competitive. Volkanovski’s tenacity and skill are undeniable, and he clearly believes he can compete with the best at one hundred fifty five pounds. A fight between Volkanovski and Gaethje would be an absolute war, a clash of styles that would guarantee fireworks. It shows Volkanovski’s incredible ambition and his desire to constantly challenge himself against the very best. This is the kind of fight that fans dream of, and the fact that Volkanovski is openly considering it speaks volumes about his confidence and competitive spirit.

In other news, the heavyweight division is in a bit of a holding pattern, according to MiddleEasy. One year after Jon Jones retired, Tom Aspinall’s eye surgery and the Gane-Pereira title mess have the UFC heavyweight division stuck in limbo. This is a frustrating situation for fans and fighters alike. Jones’ retirement left a void, and now with Aspinall, who many see as the future of the division, sidelined with an injury, and the title picture unclear with Ciryl Gane and Alex Pereira, it’s a mess. The heavyweight division is often seen as the pinnacle of combat sports, and to have it in such a state of uncertainty is disappointing. Hopefully, Aspinall’s recovery is swift, and the UFC can sort out the title situation soon to get things moving again. The division needs some clarity and some exciting matchups to get back on track.

Speaking of Alex Pereira, he’s been consistently outlining the risks of fighting since his recent defeat. Bloody Elbow reported that Alex Pereira doubts his UFC future and says he’s “afraid” to return, stating, “I think I’ve already done my part.” This is a significant statement from a former two-division champion. It sounds like the cumulative toll of fighting is really weighing on him. Pereira has had an incredible career, achieving so much in a relatively short amount of time in MMA. It’s understandable that he might be feeling the effects and questioning his future. His coach, Pedro Rizzo, also weighed in on Pereira’s unsuccessful heavyweight debut, telling Sherdog that the loss of reach advantage was the biggest issue for Alex Pereira at heavyweight. This insight from Rizzo highlights one of the key challenges Pereira faced moving up a division. It’s a tough sport, and fighters have to make difficult decisions about their careers. If Pereira feels he’s done his part, then he’s earned the right to make that call.

Now for a bit of a community pulse check. The r/MMA crowd is having a field day discussing the Gracie family today. The thread is questioning if there are any prominent Gracies left in two thousand twenty six, noting that the family hasn’t had major success since Royce. It’s an interesting discussion about the evolution of jiu-jitsu in modern times and the legacy of one of MMA’s founding families.

Let’s shift gears to some fighter beefs that are brewing. Sharabutdin Magomedov, ‘Shara Bullet,’ is not holding back ahead of his UFC Baku fight. Sherdog reported that ‘Shara Bullet’ slams ‘hypocrite’ Michel Pereira. This kind of pre-fight trash talk always adds an extra layer of excitement to a matchup. Magomedov clearly has some strong feelings about Pereira, and it’s going to be interesting to see if that translates into an even more aggressive performance in the octagon. Also, ‘Shara Bullet’ was surprised to see Sean Strickland become UFC champion, according to Yahoo Sports MMA. He wants his fans to wonder if he could dethrone Strickland. That’s a bold ambition, and it shows the confidence he has in his own abilities. These kinds of callouts and rivalries are what make the sport so compelling.

Now, let’s take a quick look at the upcoming fight cards. We’ve got UFC Baku coming up, and while the main event hasn’t been officially announced for this specific card, we’re hearing that Sharabutdin Magomedov versus Michel Pereira is a fight that’s being talked about, given their recent verbal sparring. These are the kinds of matchups that promise action and could deliver some standout performances.

Looking further ahead, UFC 330 in Philadelphia is headlined by that massive welterweight title fight we discussed earlier: Islam Makhachev versus Ian Machado Garry. The co-main event for that card is still to be announced, but with a main event like that, it’s already a must-watch. Garry’s confidence and Makhachev’s dominance make this a truly compelling championship bout.

Finally, let’s check in on our Odds Watch for an upcoming fight. We’ve got Bekzat Almakhan at plus one hundred forty versus Jean Matsumoto at minus one hundred sixty. Jean Matsumoto is currently the betting favorite in this matchup, and the line has held steady since we last checked. This suggests that the oddsmakers and the betting public are in agreement on Matsumoto being the more likely victor, but Almakhan, as the underdog, certainly has the potential to pull off an upset. It’s a classic favorite versus underdog scenario, and those often deliver some of the most exciting and unpredictable fights.

That’s all for today’s Open Scoring MMA. Stay tuned for more updates and analysis as these stories develop.

Before you go, check out our free Fight Tracker at tracker dot open scoring m m a dot com. Every upcoming UFC and PFL card, full fight cards, live odds, and where to watch, all in one place, and you can install it like an app. That’s it for today’s Open Scoring MMA. Keep your hands up, and we’ll see you next time.