Former champion accuses Ian Garry of 'cheating' and calls for changes to UFC rules.

Ian Garry is a standout in the UFC welterweight division. Photo: Reproduction/UFC

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Belal Muhammad believes Ian Garry acted with malicious intent when committing several fouls during their fight. The former champion shared the octagon with the Irish prospect in the co-main event of UFC Qatar, where he was ultimately defeated by unanimous decision. One of the incidents that drew the most attention was when his rival poked the Palestinian fighter in the eyes.

In a video posted on his YouTube channel, Belal expressed his annoyance with the incident. The welterweight (up to 77kg) stated that Garry perceived an advantage in repeating the illegal strikes, especially given the lack of punishment from the referee. According to the Palestinian fighter, the situation highlights the need for rule changes, with more severe consequences for this type of foul.

“He understood that poking me in the eye would give him the victory in the fight. Especially when you don't lose points. The rules need to be changed, there need to be consequences. Otherwise, what's the point of all this?” said Belal Muhammad.

Ian Garry close to challenging for the UFC title.

Ian Garry after victory over Carlos Prates . Photo: Reproduction Instagram/UFC

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Regardless of whether the pokes were intentional or not, the victory over Belal Muhammad represented an important step in Ian Garry 's UFC career. The Irishman reached the second position in the welterweight rankings and is close to receiving a title shot against the newly crowned champion Islam Makhachev.

Despite his prominent position, Garry still faces direct competition in the race for the belt. Among the top names are Kamaru Usman , the favorite to face the champion; Shavkat Rakhmonov , who has already defeated Garry in a previous fight; as well as Michael Morales and Carlos Prates , who have gained popularity with the public thanks to their recent knockouts.

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