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Joaquin Buckley sees Ian Machado Garry do just enough to beat Shavkat Rakhmonov.
Machado Garry (15-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) meets fellow undefeated countryman Rakhmonov (18-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) in a five-round welterweight bout Dec. 7 at UFC 310 from T -Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. .
Buckley (20-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC) was originally scheduled to face Machado Garry at UFC on ESPN 63, before the Irishman was scheduled to step in against Rakhmonov a week prior at UFC 310. Although Rakhmonov represents a serious threat, Buckley believes Machado Garry will stay loyal and cruise to victory.
“A lot of people won’t believe me, but I think Ian Garry is going to win – narrowly, just like the rest of his victories,” Buckley told Middle Easy. “Whether it’s with MVP or with Geoff Neal. He does a good job of staying safe and surviving, and if you don’t have the feet to track down guys like that, where they’re constantly moving and constantly avoiding, and you set up traps.
“Obviously you’re not going to be able to land those power shots. … If you go into the fire with Shavkat Rakhmonov, you’re going to get burned. But I don’t see Ian Garry running into that fire. He’s going to try to run away and escaping all the time, and I see Ian Garry raising his hand in decision.
Buckley may have lost his fight against Machado Garry, but he will still have a big opportunity. He faces former interim welterweight champion Colby Covington (17-4 MMA, 12-4 UFC) at the UFC on ESPN 63 headliner on December 14 from Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida.
Related
Ian Machado Garry before the fight against Shavkat Rakhmonov: “I will take his 0 and I will take this belt”
UFC 310: Michael Chiesa sees Shavkat Rakhmonov vs. Ian Machado Garry go the distance
Kamaru Usman: Shavkat Rakhmonov vs. Ian Machado Garry is only exciting ‘on paper’
Shavkat Rakhmonov vs. Ian Machado Garry: Odds and what to know ahead of UFC 310 co-main event
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 310.
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Joaquin Buckley: Ian Machado Garry beats Shavkat Rakhmonov ‘by the skin of his teeth’ at UFC 310
