Sean Brady, the new number one contender in the UFC welterweight division, says that Ian Machado Garry has missed his chance at the organisation’s welterweight title.

Brady emerged from the English capital last weekend with a smash-and-grab fourth round submission win against former champion Leon Edwards; a win which upset the order at 170-pounds. The fight positions the Philly native as top contender at welterweight alongside the unbeaten Shavkat Rakhmonov, who scored a unanimous decision win over Irishman Garry in December — with Australia’s Jack Della Maddalena drafted into a title bout against champion Belal Muhammad in May.

Garry has revealed his disappointment at being usurped by Della Maddalena in the title hunt, hitting out at the decision to hand him a title opportunity following an extended injury absence from the top of the 170-pound fold — but as far as Brady is concerned, Garry had his chance to earn a title bout and missed it.

“I went out there, I took this opportunity. I heard he was b*tching that he didn’t get the fight with Belal,” Brady told Ariel Helwani, as reported by MMA Junkie. “Bro, you lost your fight, What are you talking about? You came in second place. You don’t get to be rewarded for that.”

Former Cage Warriors champion Garry had been on a tear since entering the UFC in late 2021, winning eight straight fights before coming up short in what was arguably the toughest fight of Rakhmonov’s career to date.

Regardless, Brady says that Della Maddalena is the rightful challenger for the belt at this point in time.

“It made the most sense for it to be Jack. [Garry] is number seven at this point? Lost his last fight. I’ve won my last three, just beat a former champion who was a really good champion. I’ve got bigger things going on than Ian Machado Garry.”