Ian Machado Garry’s theory that all the online hate he receives isn’t real took a hit on Thursday night at the UFC 330 press conference when the crowd at Xfinity Mobile Arena booed the Irishman loudly throughout the event.
Garry has been nothing but kind and respectful to his opponent on Saturday night, welterweight champion Islam Makhachev. That didn’t stop Islam from taking a few potshots at “The Future” on stage.
“Nobody likes Ian Gary, myself also,” Makhachev said. “People [are] confuse which country
he represent, Brazil or Ireland. People don’t know.”
As usual, Garry shrugged off the criticism and implied it just gave him more motivation.
“If he wants to call me Brazilian, I’ll carry that badge of honor no problem,” Garry said. “The Brazilians in this sport have some of the greatest resumes. The Brazilian UFC fans, they know this. We’ve got Demian Maia, Charles Oliveira, Anderson Silva, Jose Aldo, legends of the game. So if he considers me Brazilian, I’ll take that with pride. But I’m born and bred in Dublin, Ireland.”
At this point, Garry argued, nationality no longer matters because it’s just two individuals going to war against each other.
“This fight, this is between me and him,” he said. “This is two of the greatest fighters on the planet going face to face for the most important title in the world. It’s that welterweight world title on the line. He’s the number one pound for pound fighter on the planet. I’m the number one contender. This is the biggest fighter of the year and I’m so ready for it.”
As for the negative reaction from the fans at the pre-fight press conference?
“I couldn’t give a f–k,” Garry declared. “I couldn’t care less. My little boy is here laughing at me smiling and making faces. I’m living the dream. Islam’s here. I get to show up on Saturday night and fight for a world title. I dreamed of this dream when I was a 16 year old kid. I dreamed of being a UFC fighter. I dreamed of having the ability to fight for a UFC world title.
“This weekend, on August 15 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, all of my dreams come true and nobody can take that away from [me].”
Garry said he might be getting hate now, but that tune would change after he beats Makhachev.
“Beating him proves that I’m special,” he said. “Everybody right here, everybody in this stadium, every single one of you fans consider him to be the number one pound-for-pound fighter on the planet. You consider him to be the greatest martial artist walking the earth right now. When I beat him, you’ll all shut your f–king mouth and you’ll call me great.”
Garry has a big mountain to climb if he hopes to dethrone Makhachev, who is tied with Anderson Silva for longest win streak in UFC history. Every opponent Islam has faced hoped to snap that growing streak and couldn’t do it. Will “The Future” be the one to pull it off on Saturday night at UFC 330?
