Ian ‘Machado’ Garry has claimed that welterweight champion Leon Edwards “Absolutely smashes” Colby Covington.
Speaking at his UFC 292 press day, Garry was asked to give his thoughts about the anticipated matchup between reigning champion Leon ‘Rocky’ Edwards and number one contender Colby ‘Chaos’ Covington. Garry who is known for his outspoken personality didn’t waste any time sitting on the fence.
Ian Garry Says Leon Edwards Will “Run Through” Colby Covington.
“I think Leon absolutely smashes him. Colby, Colby gets a lot of hype for no reason. The biggest thing that Colby Covington has done is lose to Kamaru Usman twice. Twice. Leon has gone out and beat Kamaru Usman, twice. I think Leon is gonna absolutely and surgically and like just, I think he’s gonna dominate him. I’ve trained with Leon. I know how good Leon is. Leon’s a phenomenal athlete. He’s amazing in every single aspect of the game. His wrestling, his jujitsu is so underrated, because people talk ‘he’s a kickboxer’. I guarantee you he absolutely runs through Colby. I guarantee it.”
Stealing the Limelight?
Ian Garry is following in the footsteps of fellow Irishman and former ‘Champ Champ’ Conor McGregor. McGregor had a way of making fight week and fight night all about him, even when he wasn’t the main event. Garry is doing everything he can to do the same as we head into UFC 292 fight week.
Garry is a polarising character, with some fans having a love-hate relationship with the Irishman. ‘Machado’ is undefeated in MMA and joined the UFC after becoming a champion in Cage Warriors. His performances have improved at what is admittedly a whole new level of mixed martial arts, but to date, Garry has failed to disappoint. He continues to climb the rankings and is growing in stature following his last performance against Daniel Rodriquez.
This week alone, Garry has made some bold claims. He has claimed that he is the ‘Superstar’ of UFC 292. He has claimed that nobody in the UK is staying up until 5am to watch Sterling Vs O’Malley in the main event and that they are only tuning in for him. Now, he is drawing the headlines for giving his take on Colby Covington, who could be the most polarising character the UFC has ever seen.
Is Ian Garry ‘Playing the Game’?
Some have suggested that Ian Garry is simply ‘playing the game’. Making outlandish comments, behaving in a certain way, to make sure that everybody is talking about him. If that is his plan, it’s absolutely working. News outlets, media personalities and podcast hosts across the sport are all wanting to speak to Ian Garry. The reason? He brings headlines.
Whether Ian Garry is loved or hated by MMA fans around the world, he is relevant. As long as he is relevant, and his performances live up to the hype, he will always be a draw. In a similar vein, a comparison could be made to what Colby Covington did when he introduced us to his ‘Chaos’ character.
Ian Garry and Colby Covington – The Comparison
Colby wasn’t a popular figure due to his wrestling heavy style and his personality wasn’t what it is now. Knowing what he needed to do, Colby flicked a switch and became ‘Chaos’ following his win over Damian Maia. Colby delivered the “Brazil you’re a dump, all you filthy animals suck” and ‘Chaos’ was born.
Since that moment, Colby has made incredibly bold claims and has become the villain of the MMA world. Fans love him. Fans hate him. He is however, must see TV and must read interviews. Colby doesn’t have the most entertaining fighting style but his character allows him to get big opportunities within the sport.
Ian Garry may well find himself heading down that road. It may not be one which he had intended but one in which he eventually follows. Ian is a smart young man who understands how the game works. He says what he says and the MMA media and fans lap it up. He is certainly building something special whether you like it or not. As long as his performances can match up to his words, we could be witnessing a very special period for Irish MMA.
Do you think Ian Garry can back up his claims? How do you think a fight between Leon Edwards and Colby Covington goes? Let us know in the comments section.
Featured image credits to Embed from Getty Images
