Thompson says Garry's wrestling and length make him Makhachev's toughest welterweight test

Stephen Thompson believes Ian Garry (17-1) presents the greatest threat to UFC welterweight champion Islam Makhachev among the current crop of contenders, pointing to the Irish fighter’s wrestling ability and rangy frame as the qualities most likely to trouble the dominant champion.

“I think Ian Garry would give him a hard time,” Thompson told Full Mount Media. “Ian Garry is not afraid to use his wrestling. You actually see more of his wrestling than [Morales and Prates’]. He’s very crafty; he puts his hands and feet together very well. But he’s not afraid to go out there and wrestle. I do believe that he is long enough, he is lanky enough to be able to give [Makhachev] a very hard time, very hard time.”

Garry is widely regarded as the frontrunner for the next welterweight title shot. The 27-year-old has accumulated 10 UFC victories and is coming off back-to-back wins over Prates and former champion Belal Muhammad. His only professional defeat came against Shavkat Rakhmonov, who has since been sidelined with an injury and removed himself from the title conversation.

Thompson’s assessment places Garry ahead of two other prominent contenders in Prates and Michael Morales. Prates has recently boosted his own credentials by finishing former champion Jack Della Maddalena, yet Thompson — nicknamed “Wonderboy” — still views Garry as the man most capable of unseating Makhachev when the two eventually meet.

The welterweight division remains one of the most competitive in the UFC, but Garry’s combination of striking fluency, grappling willingness, and physical dimensions appears to have convinced at least one respected voice in the sport that “The Future” is ready for a title shot.