UFC sensation Ian Machado Garry has admitted that he would love to share a UFC card with Conor McGregor one day.
Both fighters are in different stages of their careers, with Garry going from strength to strength, and McGregor seeking a comeback after breaking a leg in 2021.
Garry, an Irish welterweight, currently boasts an unbeaten record of 13-0 after defeating Neil Magny at UFC 292 in August. He also has his sights set on breaking into the top 10 of the welterweight division.
Hailing from Dublin, Garry has drawn comparisons to the former two-time weight champion McGregor and is touted as the rising star from Ireland in the UFC.
Despite his growing reputation and fervent desire to emulate his compatriot's championship success, the 25-year-old fighter has openly expressed his admiration for his fellow Dubliner.
The undefeated Irishman made a big statement with a knockout victory over Jordan Williams in his debut at UFC 268. Afterwards, he proclaimed this was the Irish 'takeover part two,' echoing the same lines McGregor made all those years ago.
When asked about his relationship with McGregor, he said, "My relationship with Conor is the same as everybody else who is a fan of him. I am 110 percent emotionally invested in anything that man does in the cage, and I'm excited to see him back. And I hope that we can share a card together, and I can chop it up in person with him. That would be a dream come true."
Ian Garry's rise to UFC stardom mirrors that of Conor McGregor ( Image: Dolly Clew/Cage Warriors)Recently, Michael Chandler and McGregor agreed to step into the ring for McGregor's comeback. There is no date set, but McGregor had hinted at a December return at UFC 296, which is scheduled for 16th December. That won't come to pass for now.
Garry believes that the 'loose cannon' Chandler should avoid going to 'war' with McGregor and fight smarter. A slugfest will suit McGregor, confirms Garry.
"The deciding factor in McGregor-Chandler isn't actually anything to do with Conor. Conor is going to show up and do what Conor does; he's going to put on a show. He's going to chat some sh*t during fight week. He's going to play his mind games.
"He's going to get in your head. He's going to wind him up. He's going to get in there and try to punch him as hard as he can. For me, the loose cannon is actually Chandler. If Chandler could go in there and fight with some IQ, he could make it a tough night for Conor.
"Chandler is a very, very good wrestler, and he can hit hard, but we've often seen them get into wars where he just swings - and I think that's the biggest deciding factor. If he can go in there and stay composed, then it's a tougher night for Conor. If he starts to swing and opens up holes in his defence, Conor will find those gaps."
Ian Machado Garry was speaking to Sporting Post.
