UFC fighter Ian Machado Garry plans to respond to his critics with his performance in the upcoming fight against Geoff Neal, rather than with words, and expresses his frustration with personal attacks on his family.
Ian Machado Garry’s got a plan. He’s set to silence his critics this Saturday. But not with words, with his performance.
He’s up against Geoff Neal at UFC 298 in Anaheim, California. It’s his toughest challenge yet. Neal is a top-10 welterweight contender. A win for Garry would be a step closer to a title fight. A loss, though? That would just give his haters more to talk about.
TNT Sports caught up with Garry before the fight. When asked about silencing his doubters, he was pretty clear. There’s nothing he can do to change their minds. And there’s nothing they can do to change his.
Garry doesn’t think any performance will quiet the haters. “There will always be haters,” he said. “The more success you have, the more haters there are.” He finds it ridiculous, but he’s not letting it get to him. Instead, he’s planning to use it as fuel. He wants to rile them up even more.
He’s got a vision. He sees himself taking down Geoff Neal. Standing over him. Looking around at the crowd. And just standing there, saying, “This is what I do. This is what I do best.”
Garry believes the MMA community should be grateful. He’s brought them attention. Videos with his name get more views. Everyone’s talking about him. And he’s not bothered by the talk. He’s still going to show up and do his job. He’s going to get his hand raised. He’s going to go up to 14-0. And if anyone has a problem with that? He couldn’t care less.
Garry was supposed to fight Vicente Luque at UFC 296. But pneumonia forced him out. The timing was awful. He was the talk of the town. Not just for his perfect record and brash persona, but also for the rumors about him and his wife, Layla.
Garry’s not one to hold back. He’s used personal details to insult his opponents. But he thinks lines were crossed when his family got dragged into the drama. He’s the one who signed up to fight, not his wife or son or team.
He’s been hurt by the things that have been said. It’s affected him and his loved ones. But they’ve learned from it. They’ve grown closer. And if you’re not at his table, he doesn’t care for your opinion.
Garry’s interactions with fans in person have been positive. He’s grateful for the support. He’s learned to block out the negativity.
What if he beats Neal and gets a chance to address his critics? Garry’s not planning to berate anyone. He’s going to focus on his win. He’s going to call out his next opponent. He’s going to get what he wants. Because he has the power now.
He’s got the traction. He’s got the publicity. People are talking about him. And he’s going to use that for the right things. He’s going to stay true to himself.