Ian Garry Details Heartwarming Interaction With Conor McGregor During UFC 285 Fight Week

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UFC welterweight prospect Ian Garry has recalled his recent fight week interaction with former two-division champion Conor McGregor.
Garry, a former Cage Warriors titleholder, made his fourth walk to the Octagon at this past weekend’s pay-per-view event. And inside T-Mobile Arena, the rising Irishman extended his unbeaten professional record to 11-0 courtesy of an impressive third-round TKO victory over Kenan Song.
While “The Future” experienced adversity, having had to recover from a knockdown in the first round, he rallied to deliver his first finish since his 2021 debut and continue his surge on the sport’s biggest stage.

Since making his name in mixed martial arts, Garry has been outspoken about his main inspiration and motivation.
Like many in the country of Ireland, the 25-year-old witnessed the rise of McGregor, a former featherweight and lightweight kingpin who is credited for not just developing the sport in the European nation, but bringing it into the global mainstream.
With that, a pre-fight meeting with his hero proved to be an extra boost ahead of Garry’s latest UFC triumph.
Garry: ‘McGregor Told Me I’m Going To Be A Champion’
During a recent appearance on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, Garry reflected on his latest standout performance inside the Octagon and the heartwarming interaction that preceded it at the ceremonial weigh-ins.
Speaking of his conversation with McGregor, who is in Las Vegas for filming of the 31st season of The Ultimate Fighter, Garry revealed the motivational words given to him by the “Notorious” megastar, which he noted provided additional motivation ahead of fight night.
“Obviously, coming out here, I knew that he was filming TUF. I said to myself, ‘I don’t care how, I’m gonna cross paths with him at one point in time,'” Garry said. “At the weigh-ins, I was just about to do an interview and the guys from BT Sport were like, ‘Ian, Conor’s here.’ I was like, ‘Alright where is he.’ … I’m not waiting for some like, crossing of our paths. I’m gonna make sure it happen myself.
“I went up to him and just went, ‘Ian!’ Pretty awesome. Even the fact that as soon as I turned the corner, he instantly was like, ‘Iano! There you are!’ … It was just cool to see him. He shook my hand and then started pounding my chest, telling me I’m a champion and I’m gonna be a champion, and that he appreciates the love and respect and support I’ve given him. I just said to him, ‘You motivated me to be here. I can’t do enough to give back to you.’ … He’s the guy that inspired my entire nation.”
With a perfect 4-0 record in MMA’s premier promotion, Garry has had a solid start when it comes to somewhat replicating McGregor’s success inside the cage. The pair also already boast career similarities, having both arrived in the UFC on the back of championship glory in England’s Cage Warriors organization.
While Garry will need to be tested by ranked opposition before the majority of those in the MMA community get behind his title ambitions, it’s clear that the 25-year-old welterweight prospect already boasts one prominent backer.

Can Ian Garry follow in Conor McGregor’s footsteps as a UFC fighter?
Please provide transcription credit with a link to this article if you use any of these quotes.

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UFC welterweight prospect Ian Garry has recalled his recent fight week interaction with former two-division champion Conor McGregor.


Garry, a former Cage Warriors titleholder, made his fourth walk to the Octagon at this past weekend’s pay-per-view event. And inside T-Mobile Arena, the rising Irishman extended his unbeaten professional record to 11-0 courtesy of an impressive third-round TKO victory over Kenan Song.


While “The Future” experienced adversity, having had to recover from a knockdown in the first round, he rallied to deliver his first finish since his 2021 debut and continue his surge on the sport’s biggest stage.



Since making his name in mixed martial arts, Garry has been outspoken about his main inspiration and motivation.


Like many in the country of Ireland, the 25-year-old witnessed the rise of McGregor, a former featherweight and lightweight kingpin who is credited for not just developing the sport in the European nation, but bringing it into the global mainstream.


With that, a pre-fight meeting with his hero proved to be an extra boost ahead of Garry’s latest UFC triumph.


Garry: ‘McGregor Told Me I’m Going To Be A Champion’
During a recent appearance on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, Garry reflected on his latest standout performance inside the Octagon and the heartwarming interaction that preceded it at the ceremonial weigh-ins.


Speaking of his conversation with McGregor, who is in Las Vegas for filming of the 31st season of The Ultimate Fighter, Garry revealed the motivational words given to him by the “Notorious” megastar, which he noted provided additional motivation ahead of fight night.


“Obviously, coming out here, I knew that he was filming TUF. I said to myself, ‘I don’t care how, I’m gonna cross paths with him at one point in time,'” Garry said. “At the weigh-ins, I was just about to do an interview and the guys from BT Sport were like, ‘Ian, Conor’s here.’ I was like, ‘Alright where is he.’ … I’m not waiting for some like, crossing of our paths. I’m gonna make sure it happen myself.


“I went up to him and just went, ‘Ian!’ Pretty awesome. Even the fact that as soon as I turned the corner, he instantly was like, ‘Iano! There you are!’ … It was just cool to see him. He shook my hand and then started pounding my chest, telling me I’m a champion and I’m gonna be a champion, and that he appreciates the love and respect and support I’ve given him. I just said to him, ‘You motivated me to be here. I can’t do enough to give back to you.’ … He’s the guy that inspired my entire nation.”


With a perfect 4-0 record in MMA’s premier promotion, Garry has had a solid start when it comes to somewhat replicating McGregor’s success inside the cage. The pair also already boast career similarities, having both arrived in the UFC on the back of championship glory in England’s Cage Warriors organization.


While Garry will need to be tested by ranked opposition before the majority of those in the MMA community get behind his title ambitions, it’s clear that the 25-year-old welterweight prospect already boasts one prominent backer.



Can Ian Garry follow in Conor McGregor’s footsteps as a UFC fighter?


Please provide transcription credit with a link to this article if you use any of these quotes.




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