Irishman Ian Machado Garry will face fellow undefeated welterweight Shavkat Rakhmonov at UFC 310 on December 7 in Las Vegas.

Machado Garry, 26, steps in to fight Rakhmonov after welterweight champion Belal Muhammad pulled out due to injury.

The match will be the co-main event, meaning it will be five rounds.

It marks the first time in Machado Garry’s career that he will fight five rounds in the UFC and gives the Dubliner the chance to deny Rakhmonov his position as number one contender for the title.

“I am very disappointed in our division,” Rakhmonov posted on X, claiming that Leon Edwards and Colby Covington turned down the opportunity to fight him.

“The only one who supports his words is Ian, and I respect that. But make no mistake: I am coming for your 0 and then I will fight for the title.”

Machado Garry is undefeated in 15 fights, with his most recent victory coming on points over Britain’s Michael ‘Venom’ Page in June.

That victory was by far Machado Garry’s biggest to date, but in Rakhmonov he represents another huge step forward in quality.

The 30-year-old Rakhmonov from Kazakhstan has 18 wins on his MMA record and has never gone the distance. He has 10 submission wins and eight knockouts.

No Irish fighter has fought for a UFC title since Conor McGregor lost to Khabib Nurmagomedov in 2018.

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