Following the events at UFC 315, Sean Brady has accepted his likely path forward.
Despite holding the #1 ranking in the welterweight division, Philadelphia`s Sean Brady finds himself in a complicated position.
In a different scenario, Brady would likely have earned a title shot, especially after his dominant performance against former champion Leon Edwards at UFC London in March, where he became the first fighter to finish Edwards.
However, this appears unlikely now. The spotlight seems to be moving towards a potential “super fight” between lightweight champion Islam Makhachev and the new welterweight king, Jack Della Maddalena, following Della Maddalena`s decisive win over Belal Muhammad at UFC 315 last weekend.
So, where does this leave the top contender, Brady?
Brady Understands He Needs Another Fight Before a Title Shot
Finding himself on the outside of the immediate title picture at 170 pounds, the 18-1 Brady wasn`t surprised that a title fight wasn`t next, even after his impressive win over Edwards.
Quoting Brady from his appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show:
“I knew if Jack won, I would have to fight again,” Brady stated. “I`m okay with that.”
He continued, acknowledging the crowded landscape:
“Of course, I want the title shot, but you still have Shavkat [Rakhmonov] in the mix,” Brady added. “There`s also Islam [Makhachev] talking about moving up. Then you have Kamaru [Usman] and [Joaquin] Buckley claiming the winner of their fight will get a title shot. So, it looks like we`re all going to have to fight it out.”
Context: Sean Brady discussing his situation on The Ariel Helwani Show.
Targeting the Next Challenge: Ian Machado Garry?
With the welterweight division full of hungry, rising contenders, Brady is looking closely at a potential matchup against the #6 ranked Ian Machado Garry.
Machado Garry, who recently bounced back from a loss to Shavkat Rakhmonov at UFC 310 with a decision win over #13-ranked Carlos Prates, has also publicly expressed his desire for a title opportunity.
Since an immediate title shot seems unlikely for the top welterweights, Brady sees an opportunity to face `The Future`.
Brady on potentially facing Garry:
“I`m going to have to fight Ian Garry eventually,” Brady commented on his potential next opponent. “Why not just do it now and get it over with?”
He also mentioned Shavkat Rakhmonov as a potential fight for the number one contender spot but noted Rakhmonov`s recovery timeline:
“If I`m as good as I believe I am, I would fight Shavkat for the number one contender spot,” Brady added. “He says he`s coming back in October [due to injury], but that probably means closer to the end of the year or even next year.”
Recalling a brief interaction, Brady explained his reasoning for the potential Garry fight:
“Ian and I had a brief exchange across the arena at the fight… I thought, `You and me, that`s what I think needs to happen.` We can`t all just sit and wait for a title shot, so I think we`re going to have to fight now.”
Jack Thornley