Sean Brady Wants Ian Garry if Islam Makhachev Moves Up to Welterweight

🗣️Sean Brady: "If [Islam] is gonna move up, then me and Ian are fighting. I know that's the fight to make. That's just the way I see it." 👀
🎥@arielhelwani pic.twitter.com/emxxATfU6K

— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) May 12, 2025

Sean Brady doesn’t want Islam Makhachev to move up to 170 pounds, but he can’t deny the lightweight champ his due. 

While Makhachev has been eyeing a welterweight move for a while, his friend Belal Muhammad stood in the way as the champ. However, that changed last Saturday at UFC 315, as Jack Della Maddalena dethroned Muhammad via unanimous decision. 

Makhachev immediately doubled down on his welterweight plans, although Dana White didn’t confirm that the Dagestani is getting the next shot at 170 pounds. Top contender Brady doesn’t want Makhachev to move up, as he thinks the champ still has competition left at 155 pounds.

Another concern for Brady is whether Makhachev will be actively defending his welterweight belt if he wins the title. However, Brady admits that if Makhachev wants to move up, there is no denying the champ who has defended his lightweight strap four times. 

And if Makhachev gets the next gold bid at welterweight, Brady wants to be matched up against fellow contender Ian Garry in a potential title eliminator.

“I would rather see him stay where he’s at and kind of clean out 155... There’s still guys at 155 and then you got Ilia trying to come up,” Brady told Ariel Helwani. “But then again on the other hand, he’s done so much. If he’s gonna move up, is he gonna stay there though? Because now you’re holding up two divisions. So if he’s gonna move up, then me and Ian are fighting. I know that’s the fight to make.”

Brady’s lone career loss came against Muhammad in 2022. He has since bounced back with a three-fight winning streak and is fresh off a submission win over former champ Leon Edwards. Meanwhile, Garry recently bounced back from his only career loss against Shavkat Rakhmonov by derailing Carlos Prates’ hype train.