Tag: Ian Garry

‘Wonderboy’ Thompson looks to book Kamaru Usman fight for UFC 295 at MSG: ‘We are trying to make it happen’

WonderboyStephen ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson is only interested in fights that get him one step closer to a potential welterweight title opportunity. Thompson was originally scheduled to scrap with Michele Pereira as part of the promotion’s stacked UFC 291 card in July. Unfortunately, Pereira stepped on the scale significantly over the welterweight limit leading to the cancellation […]

Wonderboy

Stephen ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson is only interested in fights that get him one step closer to a potential welterweight title opportunity.

Thompson was originally scheduled to scrap with Michele Pereira as part of the promotion’s stacked UFC 291 card in July. Unfortunately, Pereira stepped on the scale significantly over the welterweight limit leading to the cancellation of the contest altogether. Determined to compete before 2023 comes to a close, Stephen Thompson has his sights set on a high-profile fight with former welterweight world champion, Kamaru Usman.

“My focus right now is a guy who recently called me out as well, who was ranked number one for a very long time, and was a champ – Kamaru Usman,” Thompson told talkSPORT. “That fight makes sense, especially for me, someone who is 40 years old and wants to go for that one last title shot.”

‘Wonderboy’ revealed that they are in the process of ironing things out with Usman and the UFC, but nothing is official as of yet.

“I got a call from my management,” Thompson added. “We are sitting here, trying to work with this Usman fight, trying to make it happen.”

‘Wonderboy’ Thompson Was Offered a Fight with Ian Garry at MSG

Aside from his potential clash with ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ later this year, Stephen Thompson revealed another offer from the UFC, courtesy of rising Irish prospect Ian Garry. ‘The Future’ called for a showdown with ‘Wonderboy’ following his decisive UFC 292 victory over Neil Magny.

Stephen Thomspon confirmed in his interview that the promotion offered him a fight with Garry for UFC 295 in Madison Square Garden, but ‘Wonderboy’ has no interest in acting as a gatekeeper for the welterweight division. At 40 years old, it’s either title-bound or bust for Thompson.

“[My manager] gets a call from the UFC saying, ‘Hey, would you fight Ian at MSG [Madison Square Garden]. Literally right after he called me out,” Thompson revealed. “I’m like, ‘Look, I’m not trying to be a gatekeeper.’ I said the same thing I’m saying to you, ‘I want this fight with Kamaru Usman, we both want it.’

“If it’s against a guy who is coming up the rankings or the number one contender, that’s who I’m going for. That’s a no-brainer for me, especially at my age, not wanting to be a gatekeeper and wanting to go for that one last title run. Kamaru, it just makes sense.”

Kamaru Usman has not been in action since his unanimous decision loss to Leon Edwards in their UFC 286 trilogy bout in March. It was the first time Usman had lost back-to-back fights in his mixed martial arts career.

Kevin Holland doesn’t see the UFC giving him Ian Garry anytime soon: ‘I don’t think I fit the blueprint’

Kevin HollandKevin Holland doesn’t see the UFC booking him to fight rising welterweight prospect Ian Garry anytime soon. Garry earned his sixth-straight win inside the Octagon at UFC 292, scoring a lopsided unanimous decision over 170-pound staple Neil Magny. It was another impressive showing for ‘The Future’ and signaled that the Irish ass-kicker is ready for […]

Kevin Holland

Kevin Holland doesn’t see the UFC booking him to fight rising welterweight prospect Ian Garry anytime soon.

Garry earned his sixth-straight win inside the Octagon at UFC 292, scoring a lopsided unanimous decision over 170-pound staple Neil Magny. It was another impressive showing for ‘The Future’ and signaled that the Irish ass-kicker is ready for a step up in competition. Unfortunately, that step-up likely won’t include the likes of division fan favorite Kevin Holland.

Speaking with Michael Bisping on the former middleweight champ’s YouTube channel, Kevin Holland had nothing, but good things to say about Garry’s latest performance, though he made sure to work in a dig at the promotion’s alleged favoritism toward certain fighters.

“I think he answered a lot of questions, looked really good,” Holland said. “UFC says they have a blueprint for these guys to be something special when they have the Irish accent, so I think he’s on his way, bro, I think it’s going to be wonderful” (h/t MMA News).

Kevin Holland Commends Ian Garry For Taking Charge of His Career at Such an Early Age

Addressing a potential meeting with Garry in the future, Kevin Holland does not believe that he fits the mold of a fighter the UFC wants to match up with ‘The Future’ at this point in his still-developing career.

“They have a blueprint for guys like that and I don’t think I fit the blueprint,” Holland said. “I don’t think I fit the bill when it comes to what Ian Garry has planned and, you know, props to the guy, nothing but respect.“

Holland was also complimentary of how Garry has been curating his combat sports career thus far.

“The dude’s 25 and he takes his career very, very seriously. When I was 25 years old, I really didn’t give two sh*ts about the career, so props to that guy,” Holland continued. “When I was 25, I wanted to make it but didn’t really care if I did, he’s there and he’s taking advantage of it.”

On September 16, Kevin Holland is scheduled to return for a clash with Jack Della Maddalena at Noche UFC, the same night Valentina Shevchenko will attempt to reclaim the women’s flyweight world championship in her rematch with reigning titleholder Alexa Grasso.

Video: Ian Garry and ‘Chito’ Vera hop in the shower together following their UFC 292 victories

Ian GarryUndefeated Irish standout Ian Garry and top-ten-ranked bantamweight contender Marlon ‘Chito’ Vera decided to celebrate their individual victories at UFC 292 on Saturday night by hopping in the shower… With each other. Garry and Vera gave fans inside Boston’s iconic TD Garden a show, scoring wins in their respective fights against some very tough opposition. […]

Ian Garry

Undefeated Irish standout Ian Garry and top-ten-ranked bantamweight contender Marlon ‘Chito’ Vera decided to celebrate their individual victories at UFC 292 on Saturday night by hopping in the shower… With each other.

Garry and Vera gave fans inside Boston’s iconic TD Garden a show, scoring wins in their respective fights against some very tough opposition. The Future’ put on a dominant three-round performance against welterweight mainstay Neil Magny en route to his sixth-straight victory inside the Octagon.

Prior to Ian Garry’s success in Bean Town, ‘Chito’ Vera earned his own W on the night, besting Pedro Munhoz in a three-round striker’s delight.

Following the fight, both men decided to hop in the shower and freshen up. Together. And record it.

What’s Next for Ian Garry and Marlon ‘Chito’ Vera?

With his win over Pedro Munhoz, ‘Chito’ Vera will likely find himself in line for a bantamweight title opportunity. It just so happens that will come against a man he has already faced and beaten before, Sean O’Malley.

‘Sugar’ shocked the world on Saturday night, defeating bantamweight great Aljamain Sterling with a stunning second-round knockout. Now sitting atop the 135-pound throne, O’Malley appears to be on a collision course with the only man to hand him a loss inside the Octagon.

Elsewhere, Ian Garry looks primed to take a stab at a top-ten-ranked welterweight contender after handily dispatching the No. 11 ranked Neil Magny. During his post-fight-interview with Joe Rogan, Garry called for a December clash with perennial contender Stephen ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson.

What would like to see next for Ian Garry and Marlon ‘Chito’ Vera.

Ian Garry floats comparison between himself and Israel Adesanya: ‘I’m going to be doing the exact same thing’

ian garryUFC welterweight Ian Garry, draws comparison between him and middleweight champion Israel Adesanya during media duties for UF 292. Every since breaking into the 170lbs’s top-15 win a win over Daniel Rodriquez, Garry’s already high confidence seems have take an even bigger leap. Earlier in the week he claimed that he was ‘carrying’ this weekend […]

ian garry

UFC welterweight Ian Garry, draws comparison between him and middleweight champion Israel Adesanya during media duties for UF 292.

Every since breaking into the 170lbs’s top-15 win a win over Daniel Rodriquez, Garry’s already high confidence seems have take an even bigger leap. Earlier in the week he claimed that he was ‘carrying’ this weekend card and now believes that he will follow in the footsteps of 185lb ruler, Adedsanya.

Talking to The Schmo, Garry outlined his plan to stay as active as possible, much like ‘Styebedner’ has done since entering the UFC

“I wanna fight again in December in Vegas… Fight four times this year, fight three ranked opponents. I want to prove that I am just legit, I am here, I am active, I am the new era,” Garry said. “Fighting is so short. It’s such a short window. I’m showing everyone that it can be done my way, it can be done the right way, and I can be so elite and so active.

“If you look at someone like Israel Adesanya, he’s fighting as much as he can, as constant as he can. I believe I’m going to be doing the exact same thing; rinse, repeat. Every time, we go again, we go again, we go again, and I’m just gonna keep getting my hand raised.” (H/T MMANews)

Ian Garry Vs. Neil Magny

Originally set to face Geoff Neal, Garry will now face Neil Magny this weekend after his original opponent had to withdraw due to injury. On paper, this will be Garry’s toughest test to date career, facing someone who has over three times the amount of fights as him.

Magny is a perennial contender and has been mixing it with the UFC’s best for over a decade, holding wins over the likes of Hector Lombard, Carlos Condit and Johny Hendricks.

Garry is coming off the best showing of his five fights with the promotion, head kicking and stopping Rodriguez in the first round. At just 25-year-old, Garry is far from the finished prospect, but Magny has proved time and time again that he is able to fend off rising contenders.

Ian Garry talks to The Schmo

How does Ian Garry do this weekend?

Ian Garry claims fight fans don’t care about Sterling vs. O’Malley at UFC 292: ‘They’re tuning in for me’

Ian GarryIan Garry doubled down on his statement that fans are only tuning in to watch him compete at UFC 292, and not for the bantamweight championship headliner. On Saturday night, ‘The Future’ will return to the Octagon seeking his sixth-straight win under the UFC banner as the promotion returns to Boston for a stacked night […]

Ian Garry

Ian Garry doubled down on his statement that fans are only tuning in to watch him compete at UFC 292, and not for the bantamweight championship headliner.

On Saturday night, ‘The Future’ will return to the Octagon seeking his sixth-straight win under the UFC banner as the promotion returns to Boston for a stacked night of fights. Stepping under the spotlight at TD Garden, Ian Garry will face his toughest test to date when he meets welterweight veteran Neil Magny.

Originally, Garry was scheduled to compete against Geoff Neal, but Neal was forced to withdraw, opening the door for the ‘Haitian Sensation’ to step in and attempt to derail Garry’s full-steam-ahead hype train.

Despite the short notice replacement, Ian Garry is still 100% convinced that he is the true draw of UFC 292 and not the two title fights that will feature in the co-main and main event. During an appearance on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, Garry suggested that he was carrying the event on his back. “I believe that I am carrying this 292 card on my back and that if it wasn’t for me, this card would go down the drain,” Garry said.

Ian Garry Doubles Down on MMA Hour Comments

During his appearance at the UFC 292 media event on Wednesday, Ian Garry followed up on those comments, claiming that nobody in their right mind is tuning in to see Aljamain Sterling defend his title against Sean O’Malley.

“Who in good f*ck is waking up at 5 a.m. in the morning in Europe, or the rest of the world for that matter, to watch Aljamain Sterling and Sean O’Malley? They’re waking for me,” Garry said. “I can promise you that. They’re waking up for me. They’re staying there. They’re tuning in for me because I’m the superstar in Europe. I’ve got an Irish nation behind me and a Brazilian nation behind me now. And I’m excited to go out there and show that I am a superstar.”

Ian Garry’s cocky attitude is not without merit. He walks into the fight riding an impressive 12-0 run to begin his mixed martial arts career. ‘The Future’ is currently 5-0 under the UFC banner and has been seen by some as the second coming of Irish megastar Conor McGregor. Whether or not Garry rises to the heights that McGregor achieved in his heyday remains to be seen, but you can’t deny that Garry is off to a hell of a start so far.

Conor McGregor’s ‘biggest fan’ Ian Garry signs with Jake Paul: ‘What they have has nothing to do with me’

Conor McGregorDespite claiming to be Conor McGregor’s biggest fan, Irish standout Ian Garry has signed a deal with Jake Paul. On Saturday night, ‘The Future’ will look to continue his meteoric rise up the welterweight rankings when he faces tenured 170-pounder Neil Magny as part of the promotion’s stacked UFC 292 card in Boston. Originally, Garry […]

Conor McGregor

Despite claiming to be Conor McGregor’s biggest fan, Irish standout Ian Garry has signed a deal with Jake Paul.

On Saturday night, ‘The Future’ will look to continue his meteoric rise up the welterweight rankings when he faces tenured 170-pounder Neil Magny as part of the promotion’s stacked UFC 292 card in Boston. Originally, Garry was scheduled to square off with Geoff Neal, but a last-minute shuffle interjected Neal into the contest.

Ahead of his highly anticipated return to the Octagon, Ian Garry appeared on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani to talk about his upcoming clash with the ‘Haitian Sensation’ at TD Garden. During their conversation, ‘The Future’ also spoke about his deal with Betr, a media company owned by staunch Conor McGregor rival, Jake Paul.

Asked how he could go into business with Jake Paul despite being a massive self-proclaimed fan of Conor McGregor, Garry said:

“I am Conor’s biggest fan. I am literally the first fighter of a generation to make it to the UFC because of Conor’s rise. What they wanna do and what they have and their personal beef has nothing to do with it. If you have two friends that don’t get on, if you have two people that know they don’t get on, you can still be friends with both. You can still do business with both, you can still talk to both, you can still go to both of their houses and have dinner. What they have has nothing to do with me. That’s called being an adult” (h/t MMA News).

Conor McGregor Training Logan Paul’s Next Opponent

Conor McGregor has had a very open rivalry with ‘The Problem Child’ and his older brother, Logan Paul. The elder Paul is currently scheduled to square off with McGregor’s friend and BJJ coach Dillon Danis at an event in England this October. Discussing the bout over the weekend, McGregor revealed that he would be coaching Danis ahead of his clash with Logan Paul. That prompted Paul to call out McGregor, challenging him to lay down $1 million on the outcome.

McGregor has yet to respond, but given Danis’ lack of skills on the feet and the Irishman’s poor turn as a coach on the current season of The Ultimate Fighter, one would advise McGregor to keep his money.