Ian Garry claims a certain future UFC Hall-of-Famer is being a “b****” after turning down an offer to face him.
Ian Machado Garry is one of the fastest-rising stars in the UFC welterweight division. After a dominant run in UK MMA promotion Cage Warriors, he made the move to the UFC in 2021. And he quickly racked up an 8-0 record inside the Octagon that included some impressive wins over the top 15 stalwarts.
Related: Ian Garry next fight – 3 opponent options for “The Future’s” UFC return
However, his hot streak came to an end earlier this month at UFC 310 when fellow rising star Shavkat Rakhmonov handed him the first loss of his MMA career. But since the bout was extremely close it cost him little momentum and he remains one of the five best fighters at 170 pounds.
However, in a recent interview with Spaceport Sweden Garry revealed that despite his increased status in the weight class over the last year, one of the division’s greatest fighters ever turned down a fight with him this year.
- Ian Garry record: 15-1 (7 knockouts, 1 submission)
Ian Garry calls Kamaru Usman a ‘b****’ for turning down a fight against him
“I had a lot of respect for [Kamaru Usman], until he turned me down. That’s a fact,” Garry said. “He turned the fight with me down and that’s it. When I was a young kid watching him fight Gilbert Burns for the world title during COVID I’m like, ‘f***, this guy’s one of the best we’ve seen’.
“That was the opinion the world had of him at that point. But when that same guy turns down a fight against you, it changes the way you think about him. I don’t care what his excuses are. You turned down the fight. In my mind, you’re a b****.”
After coming up short trying to regain his title from Leon Edwards in March 2023, the former welterweight king has fought just once since. A bout at middleweight against Khamzat Chimaev. He has been very selective about his bouts recently, but he is rumored to face Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 312 next year.
Related: UFC welterweight rankings – Where does Ian Garry land in our latest top 10?
