Shavkat Rakhmonov has claimed that the leaked sparring footage between Ian Garry and him, doesn’t quite tell the full story of what happened.
The welterweight titans will go head-to-head on Saturday night at UFC 310 inside the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.
Shavkat Rakhmonov claims he submitted Ian Garry
The match-up between Shavkat Rakhmonov and Ian Garry has captured the imagination of the public, with fans curious to see whether the Irishman is capable of putting an end to the Kazakh’s rise to the pinnacle of the sport.
When the clash was first announced, many believed Rakhmonov would have too much for his rival. But that all changed when a clip of the pair sparring came to light.
While the MMA stars clearly aren’t going to their full capacity, the Dubliner seems to edge the action, landing a knee to the body that prompted his sparring partner to nod in respect.
However, Rakhmonov is adamant that if the entire duration of their session been posted, people would have a very different perception of the fight this weekend.
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In an interview on The Ariel Helwani Show, he said: “At the time, even though his wife asked me if she can film the footage of us sparring, I accepted it.
“But they didn’t ask me if they can release it or not. I wonder why they didn’t release the other part of the sparring.”
When asked what happened, the fighter replied: “Ian Garry taps. It was a submission, choke.”
Regardless, the 30-year-old doesn’t believe a light move around will have any bearing on what happens at UFC 310, saying: “What’s most important for me is the win. Sparring is sparring, fighting is different. Ian Garry is a very tough opponent who is a good tactician, who comes in with a good game plan. So for me, it doesn’t matter, submission or stoppage. For me, what’s most important is to win.”
Michael Bisping warns Ian Garry that Shavkat Rakhmonov could switch his lights off
Having scaled the UFC mountain, Michael Bisping is an aficionado of the game, regularly offering his analysis on the biggest fights in the UFC.
With that said, he’s looking forward to the major clash at the weekend, breaking down exactly what he thinks will happen.
And he’s informed Garry that he has to avoid one specific thing or risk being knocked out unconscious.
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