LAS VEGAS – Losing zero on his record hasn’t changed the way Ian Machado Garry views his career and his chances in the UFC in the slightest.

The Irish welterweight contender entered Saturday’s UFC 310 co-main event against Shavkat Rakhmonov with undefeated status and left the event without that status, losing out in a unanimous decision. However, despite the loss to Rakhmonov (19-0 MMA, 9-0 UFC), Machado Garry (15-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC) does not feel like a loser and even believes that he has proven this once again. Welterweight champion.

“I don’t feel like I lost today,” Machado Garry told reporters at the UFC 310 post-fight press conference. “Maybe I didn’t raise my hand, but I came out and fought a giant. I came out and fought the bogeyman and showed he was a fucking human being. I went out there for three weeks. Note, I saved this event, I saved this map and went up against the scariest man in the division and stopped almost everything in two submissions, I took his back, and I had fun.

“I showed that I can compete with the best in the division and proved tonight in the short term that I can absolutely be a champion. I make it through five rounds and there are no gaps in my game. There was nothing.’ The man won for me tonight and that’s okay.

It’s unclear at the moment what’s next for Machado Garry, but it’s safe to assume Rakhmonov will challenge UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad in 2025.

Machado Garry believes Rakhmonov will win the title, making a possible rematch or even a trilogy almost inevitable.

“I said it before the fight, I believe that he is better than everyone and I believe that I am better than everyone and we will see each other several times,” Machado explained to Garry. “We will see each other several times in our careers. I don’t think we’ll see each other just once more, I think it might be twice. I think he’s so good, and I know I’m so good.

More UFC!

Shavkat Rakhmonov is proud of Ian Machado Garry’s victory despite failing to finish at UFC 310

Alexandre Pantoja explains Demetrious Johnson’s UFC 310 call and responds to $2 million tweet

Dana White is excited about Alexandre Pantoja, the RIZIN relationship and the possibilities after UFC 310

For more information on the card, check out MMA Junkie’s UFC 310 event hub.

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Ian Machado Garry: ‘I don’t feel like I lost at UFC 310’, Shavkat Rakhmonov ‘won by opinion’