Ian Machado Garry: ‘I Can Be Superstar UFC Needs’

Speaking to Covers.com, welterweight UFC fighter Ian Machado Garry said:

I can be the superstar the UFC lacks

The welterweight division is stacked – whoever I fight next will be a killer

I don’t want to fight Leon Edwards – he should retire

Islam Makhachev v Jack Della Maddalena is a ‘phenomenal’ fight

Charles Oliveira will deliver a beautiful, flashy, rapid submission over Ilia Topuria

Oliveira doesn’t ‘give a f***’ that Ilia Topuria has left his coach

Ian Machado Garry: I can be a superstar UFC lacks, Edwards should retire, Makhachev vs Maddalena is phenomenal fight and Oliveira will rapidly submit Topuria

I can be the superstar the UFC lacks – they need to grow the fanbase like they did with McGregor

I think the UFC has no lack of phenomenally talented fighters, but it lacks superstars that can reach outside of the MMA bubble. You’ve got very, very few people who can do that right now, and I believe that should be the goal.

Let’s use Paddy Pimblett as an example. If Paddy is reaching outside of the MMA world and drawing non-casual fans into MMA, then you need to put the machine behind those people. That’s what grows the sport. And the more you grow the sport, the better it is for everyone in the sport. Look at what Conor McGregor did.

I absolutely believe I’m doing that. I’ve been told by Brazilians all across Brazil how much they support me. In my fight with Carlos Prates, I was getting more interviews from Brazilian media than he was.

That just shows I have an entire country that wants to see me compete and represent them, even though they all know I’m not Brazilian.

They resonate and feel like I am Brazilian because of the way I act, because of the way I talk, because of my family, my team, and everything that I am. It’s about connection. If you can make people connect with you in different ways – I’m a dad. 

How many parents are there in the world? How many dads? If I can connect with people through being a father, and they see how much of a good dad I am, how good of an example I am to my children, that’s a connection to the world. Use it. Run with it. Enjoy it. 

This man is one of the baddest men on the planet. He’s one of the best fighters we’ve seen. He’s also a phenomenal example to young kids and parents around the world. That’s your connection. That’s how you reach outside the MMA bubble. 

That to me, that’s far more important, being a good man, a good human being, a good parent, and also being one of the best fighters in the world.

The welterweight division is stacked – whoever I fight next will be a killer

When you take out Jack Della Maddalena and you just look at all the top contenders; me, Sean Brady, Shavkat Rakhmonov, Michael Morales – combined we’ve got two losses, the same as the world champion, right?

So those four people combined have got two losses. Jack Della Maddalena has two losses. Islam, you want to pull him up there, he’s got one loss. Our records are 18-0, 19-0, 16-1, 17-1 and 27-1 for Islam. 

It’s a ridiculously stacked division. They’ve all proven that they deserve to be up in that level. Now it’s a case of how good are you? Let’s see how this division stacks up. But there is no division more interesting than the welterweight division right now.

I don’t want to fight Leon Edwards – he should retire

No, I don’t want to fight Leon Edwards, I think the man should retire. I think he’s overstayed and overlived his kind of range. After the second round of his world title defence in London

more than half the stadium left. I don’t want to be a part of that.

Islam Makhachev v Jack Della Maddalena is a ‘phenomenal’ fight

Size matters and when you’re giving up an extra 15 pounds to move up a division – yes, Islam Makhachev is big and yes, Islam is strong, and we know that he walks around more than 155. 

We know he probably walks around probably 180-190 – but Jack is just a bigger human, and I watch [Islam’s] fights with Alex Volkanovski and Dustin Poirier, and I see those fights, yes, Islam looked great, and Islam did what he needed to do. But Jack is a bigger man. He hits harder. Everything stings more. 

I believe the size discrepancy will be important. That’s the biggest factor. Does Islam consistently take guys of that size and stature down and hold them down? How does his strength versus Jack’s strength match up? Stylistically, the fight’s phenomenal. Is Islam big enough to be a welterweight when you look at him compared to Jack? Let’s find out.

Charles Oliveira will deliver a beautiful, flashy, rapid submission over Ilia Topuria

I think it’s a phenomenal fight for both of them. I think when you look at what Charles Oliveira can do in this fight, he can go in there and beat one of the greatest athletes in the sport at the moment in Ilia Topuria, and he deserves that title with what he’s done in his last couple of fights.

He’s been phenomenal. He’s on a tear. So you’re getting Charles being able to come in and dethrone this guy, and getting to prove to the world that once again that he’s the lightweight champion of the world, and there is no one better than him in this sport. 

When you look at it from Ilia’s point of view, he can go out there and beat one of the greatest the sport has ever seen for the third time in a row. Because he just did it with Alex Volkanovski, he just did it with Max Holloway. Can he do it with Charles? 

Stylistically you’ve got a phenomenal power puncher who’s clean as clean gets versus the flashiest, most exciting fighter we’ve ever seen in UFC history. What’s not to love about the matchup?

It’s such a tough one because if it’s on the feet, Charles has the length to control and keep Ilia away, because Ilia has that punch power, and the second I believe that fight touches the ground, you’ve got to give all the advantage to Charles. 

I believe Charles has what it takes to go out there and get the victory. I believe he has what it takes to go out there and pull off that beautiful, flashy, rapid, fast submission – just takes an intelligent fight.

Charles Oliveira doesn’t ‘give a f***’ that Ilia Topuria has left his coach

I don’t think Charles Oliveira gives a f*** [if Topuria has left his coach]. Charles has fought everyone and anyone from every big gym in the world, and all the best guys in the world. 

He’s one of the best fighters in the world for a reason and he will fight anyone with anyone in their corner. He doesn’t care. Charles Oliveira doesn’t ‘give a f***’. That would be my assumption. 

Only Ilia Topuria knows what is best for Ilia Topuria, and if that’s a decision he has made based on his career and his family and his life, and whatever he wants to do – that’s his choice.

Roberto Villa is the CEO, Founder, Executive Writer, Senior Editor of FightBook MMA. Has a passion for Combat Sports and also a podcast host for Sitting Ringside. He’s also a former MMA fighter and Kickboxer.

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