Stop me if you’ve heard this one: A brash young Irishman rises through the MMA ranks to become a household name in the UFC, while critics from afar take their chances and fans wait to see how far the specific skills of the man can bring him.
No, it’s not the other guy, the one who was supposed to headline UFC 303. Conor McGregor’s comeback plans were scuppered by a broken toe. However, Ian Machado Garry is still on his way to face Michael ‘Venom’ Page on the undercard Saturday, and he’s doing his best to provide some verbal entertainment ahead of the fight.
For example, his thoughts on the UFC’s selection of Page as his opponent?
“I thought, f***, I wanted to fight someone higher up in the rankings,” Garry said. “I wanted to fight someone who would bring me closer to that world title. I have no interest in fighting (page). And to this day I still don’t.”
Then there’s the topic of his favorite opponent, Colby Covington, who called Garry into the cage after his victory over Geoff Neal in February.
“I know the UFC wanted the fight,” Garry said. “I had back and forth conversations with them. For example, tell him to pull out the finger. Tell him to get ready. He has to fight. But the truth is, Colby is scared. He doesn’t want to fight me. I’m that young, talented prospect whose career will end if I beat him. He doesn’t want any of that. He wants to stay relevant on Instagram and maintain his place in the rankings just by talking. That is it.”
That kind of media presence, coupled with his 14-0 record as a professional, has been enough to make Garry a household name in the UFC. Fans know him and remember him. Whenever he’s added to a fight card, it’s news.
But that specific spotlight also brings some warmth. Garry has become a favorite target for fighters like Covington and Sean Strickland, both of whom took a somewhat satirical 2012 work titled “How To Be A Wag,” written by Garry’s wife, Layla Machado Garry, and used it as ammunition against the 26 year old fighter. Even now, one of the suggested topics when you search his name online is, “What’s the story with Ian Garry’s wife?” It got to the point where Garry, ahead of his last scheduled fight, expressed concerns for his family’s safety while traveling to the US for the event.
This is one of the tough parts of becoming a household name in a sport like MMA. Caring for people is a good and necessary thing, but it also requires opinions about every aspect of your life, whether they are valid or not.
“I wish people knew the truth instead of lies,” Garry said. “The truth is that people don’t know the truth. People were fed lies and facts that weren’t true, and people hadn’t done their research. And these people spread out and spread out and talked and talked, but not a single person ever investigated or made contact with me and talked to me or my team about these rumors. So I wish people knew more of the truth. And who cares about the personal lives of others?”
Now, heading into his eighth UFC fight, Garry’s career feels like it’s tiptoeing toward an abyss. The opponents become more difficult and better known. The spotlight becomes both brighter and hotter. Expectations are higher. When you carry an undefeated record, especially in a sport where they are so rare, there is pressure to keep that momentum going. And now that he’s broken into the welterweight top ten, there are fewer and fewer people standing between Garry and a UFC title contender.
Page (22-2, 13 KOs) may be lower in the rankings and newer to the UFC, but he’s also a tough challenge. Tall and lanky, he had an unpredictable and unconventional style and made even a seasoned veteran like Kevin Holland look lost in his UFC debut. Trying to figure out that guy within three rounds has proven to be frustrating for many people. When allowed to do his job, he also has the ability to put opponents on the business side of a highlight reel.
But according to Garry, those are only the opponents who are not that good in the beginning.
“The truth is he hasn’t fought anyone for most of his career,” Garry said. “And he’s had some beautiful knockouts and some beautiful performances against these people who are nowhere near the caliber that he is. MVP is phenomenal at what MVP does, and he can freeze people. These people never deserved to be in the Octagon. They never deserved to be in the ring with him in the first place.
Gary, on the other hand? So far, there’s every indication that he might deserve it. And if you ask him, he will happily tell you that he earns much more. At least he managed to get our attention. Now comes the part where he has to prove why he should keep it.