Ian Machado Garry likens Conor McGregor comparisons to Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan
Ian Machado Garry
Ian Machado Garry: I’m āThe First of the Generationā Inspired by Conor McGregor
Thereās a nationality factor, admits Garry (14-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC), who returns Saturday at UFC 303 vs. Michael Page (22-2 MMA, 1-0 UFC). The welterweight bout takes place at T-Mobile Arena.
Garry sees the similarities as jarring beyond that, though. His goals, hopes, dreams, and mindsets are similar to McGregorās from years ago.
However, Garry doesnāt understand the weaponization of the comparison, as if itās a bad thing that he hopes to mirror the success of the sportās all-time biggest star.
At a pre-fight news conference Wednesday at the UFC Apex, Garry used two former NBA stars to make a point about his narrative ties to McGregor.
āAnyone saying that I am trying to be like Conor McGregor or I am trying to do something to be like Conor, I take that as a compliment,ā Garry said. āHeās the greatest star the sport has ever seen. So if youāre comparing me to him, it means Iām doing something right. Now, people are saying I want to be like him. Iām not trying to be like him in any way, shape, or form. Have I been inspired by him? Absolutely. How many people talked about Kobe Bryant trying to be like Michael Jordan? Kobe Bryant went out and made a legacy of his own. Kobe Bryant went out and made a legacy of his own in his own way, but having similar traits and styles to Jordan.
āIām born and bred from Dublin, Ireland. Conor was born and bred from Dublin, Ireland. He talks the talk and walks the walk and backs it up. Iām the exact same. Conor has done everything heās said heās going to do in his career. I have yet to prove what I have done and what I need to do. Thatās my job. My job is to continue what Iām doing on my journey to destiny. The goal that Iāve been set, the destiny thatās been written for me, itās my goal to do it my way. At the end of it, people are just going to say, āWow, this kid was special. He just did it his own way.ā Thatās the only way I look at it.ā
Conor McGregor
Garry has never run from the McGregor comparisons. In fact, heās largely embraced them. As a fellow Dubliner, Garry wanted to share a card with McGregor, which is the sole reason he took this fight altogether. Unfortunately for Garry, that dream will have to wait as McGregor withdrew due to injury.
āI wanted to fight around this time anyway,ā Garry said. āWould I have waited until August maybe if someone was available to fight? Potentially. But it was too big an opportunity to miss or pass up on, to potentially fight on the same card as Conor, regardless of who the opponent was. Iāve made it very vocal. I have zero interest in fighting āMVP.ā I have no interest. What interested me was being on the same card as Conor.
āNow, I have to say I am grateful āMVPā took the opportunity to take this fight. I am grateful he said yes. Iām grateful heās going to show up and heās going to bring it. But I was grateful because it was meant to be on a Conor card. Now, Iām going out here to steal the show. Iām going out here to show the world just how good I am. If Conorās not here, thereās every reason I can be the biggest name on this card after this fight is done.ā