Ever since he burst onto the MMA scene, Ian Machado Garry has been compared to Conor McGregor, and now, he sees it, too.
Next month, Garry challenges Islam Makhachev for the welterweight title in the main event of UFC 330 in Philadelphia. It’s a tall task for Garry. Makhachev has already established himself as an all-time great and is currently the top pound-for-pound fighter in the sport, riding a 16-fight winning streak, tied for the UFC record. But that is precisely why Garry is so excited for the matchup.
“I know how good Islam Makhachev is,” Garry told High Performance. “I know how talented he is. He’s 29-1 in the sport. He’s a two-weight division champion. He’s the most successful lightweight champion of all time and had the most lightweight defenses of all time. He is the current welterweight champion of the world. He came up a division and won the title. He is tied for the longest active win streak in UFC history, and if he wins his next fight against me, he will break the record for the longest consecutive wins.
“So, I have a two-weight world champion, the number one pound-for-pound fighter on the planet, and that same man is looking to break the record for the most wins consecutively in the UFC. And that’s the man I get to fight to prove I’m the best in the world.
“When I beat him, there can be no doubt. When I beat him, it is undeniable that I am great.”
On top of the obvious reasons, a win for Garry would also be historic, as Garry would join Conor McGregor as the only Irish champions in UFC history. Given that both men are brash, talented MMA fighters from Dublin, Garry was dubbed “the next McGregor” when he first burst onto the MMA scene, and Garry has often spoken about McGregor’s influence on his MMA career. And as he heads into his first UFC title fight, Garry can’t help but see similarities to when McGregor won the featherweight title against Jose Aldo.
“My whole career, I’ve had a lot of expectations. I’ve had a lot of pressure from the outside world, from the fans and the sport itself to be this star to live up to the hype that Conor McGregor set, being from Dublin,” Garry said. “I’ve had a lot of comparisons to Conor, due to the fact that we’re both from Dublin, we’re both from Ireland, we both talk the talk, we both walk the walk, but we will fight anyone on the planet.
“And that’s nothing to do with me, but everything to do with people comparing me to him. …
“When Conor fought for his first UFC world title, he fought the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter, who hadn’t been beaten for a decade, and he knocked him out in 13 seconds. I cannot wait to step into the octagon against Islam and beat him, because there will be no doubt that I have done it against the best. To be the best, you have to beat the best. And my next opponent right now is regarded by everyone in the world as the No. 1-ranked pound-for-pound fighter on the planet.
“Make no excuses. There will be no doubt after the fight. I just want it to be known that Ian Machado Garry is great.”
Of course, beating Makhachev is easier said than done, and Garry knows this. But he simply refuses to believe he won’t do it.
“He’s a phenomenal wrestler, a phenomenal grappler, and if you allow him the ability to stay on top and utilize his grappling and his wrestling, he can suffocate you and just lie on you like a weighted blanket, and you’ll just find it hard to move,” Garry said. “That’s not fun for anyone. It’s not fun for me, it shouldn’t be fun for him, and it’s definitely not fun for anyone watching. And he did exactly that to win the world title fight. And I feel like that’s the worst-case scenario. …
“If I go out there in that fight, and he out-skills me, and he’s better than me, but I fought him as hard as I could, I can leave the octagon proud that I did everything I possibly could to win that fight. … It’s not going to happen. Because I’m too good. I’m just too good. I feel like I’ve been put on this Earth to fight, and there’s just a divine guidance that when I get in that octagon, everything just goes my way. Everything. Every time.”
UFC 330 takes place on Aug. 15 and also features a women’s strawweight title fight between Mackenzie Dern and Gillian Robertson.
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SOCIAL MEDIA BOUILLABAISSE
The Buffer Bros at the World Cup.
Waldo Cortes-Acosta (17-3) vs. Curtis Blaydes (19-6); Noche UFC, Sep. 12.
Kelvin Gastelum (20-11) vs. Yousri Belgaroui (10-3); Noche UFC, Sep. 12.
Tim Elliott (21-14-1) vs. Edgar Chairez (14-6); Noche UFC, Sep. 12.
JJ Aldrich (15-7) vs. Regina Tarin (8-0); Noche UFC, Sep. 12.
What’s next for Dricus du Plessis and Kamaru Usman?
Alright, y’all. DDP beat Usman last night and while it was a clear win, it wasn’t the obliteration du Plessis was hoping for to get a title shot. He does have two wins over the current champion, but is that enough to get him back into the title picture?
And what about Usman? He clearly lost, but up a weight class, and still performed solidly. He’s not getting a title shot at welterweight, so where does he go from here?
My picks:
DDP vs. Imavov. This sucks for Imavov, but it seems like the UFC is heading toward a Strickland-Chimaev rematch.
Usman vs. Shavkat.
What do y’all think?
Very full weekend of combat sports action, and it just doesn’t stop. UFC Abu Dhabi is Saturday, and there are a few bangers on it. Let’s have fun this week. Love y’all!
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