Ian Machado Garry tempted fate on the feet just long enough to get to his ground game to grind out a victory over Michael Page.
Garry (15-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) knew his best path to victory would be with grappling, and that’s exactly the gameplan he implemented to score a unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) win over Page in the UFC 303 main card opener at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
After referee Mark Smith signaled for the fight to begin, chants of “MVP” roared through the crowd as Page shuffled over to Garry in his side stance.
Both offered a few single strikes, but neither found the mark. However, Garry had the first significant moment, getting a takedown from a caught kick.
Garry worked his way to Page’s back and locked in a body triangle. A second later, an arm was under the neck, and the rear-naked choke was locked in. Page escaped the choke, but had to deal with Garry’s punches from the back until the horn.
Page stung Garry with a right hand early in Round 2. Darting in and out, Page connected with another combination while evading Garry’s strikes. A moment later, Page swung and missed, leaving an opening for Garry to quickly latch on for a clinch. Garry then dropped down for a leg lock, but couldn’t secure it.
Back on the feet, Page connected with a fast two-punch combo. After missing with a flying knee, Page blasted with another combo just before the horn.
With five minutes remaining, Page continued to hunt for strikes on the feet. An awkward clash led to the fight going to the ground with Page on top. Garry was able to sneak in a few solid elbows from his back while working with a body triangle.
Midway through the round, the fight returned to standing position, but didn’t stay there long as Garry got a takedown and quickly scrambled to the back. Page stood with Garry riding his back along the fence, and the crowd grew restless as the final seconds ticked away.
During his post-fight interview, Garry said he thought his best path to a finish was working on the ground, rather than trying to trade with Page on the feet. He also made his title intentions clear while speaking with Joe Rogan.
“I’m coming for that world title, 15-0,” Garry said. “Undefeated. Unstoppable. I don’t care who’s next, where it is. I’m going to be a world champion. The future is inevitable and I’m coming for that belt.
With the result, Garry picked up his second win of 2024 and kept his undefeated record intact. In February at UFC 298, Garry won a split decision over Geoff Neal. Now 8-0 in the UFC, Garry firmly places his name in the welterweight title picture.
Up-to-the-minute UFC 303 results include:
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Ian Machado Garry def. Michael Page via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
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Joe Pyfer def. Marc-Andre Barriault via knockout (punches) – Round 1, 1:25
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Andre Fili def. Cub Swanson via unanimous decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
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Jean Silva def. Charles Jourdain via knockout (punch) – Round 2, 1:22
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Payton Talbott def. Yanis Ghemmouri via knockout (punches) – Round 1, 0:19
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Gillian Robertson def. Michelle Waterson-Gomez via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
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Martin Buday def. Andrei Arlovski via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 30-27)
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Rei Tsuruya def. Carlos Hernandez via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
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Vinicius Oliveira def. Ricky Simon via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 303.